#hector pities and holds sympathy for fernald the boy but fernald the man...there is almost none for him

[afterthegreatunknown]

hector never held fernald as fully responsible for the anwhistle aquatic fire + gregor's death. hector understands that as a child (teenager by fernald's insistence), fernald was manipulated into being an accomplice of being the way into anwhistle aquatic, and his role got out of control very quickly due to the failures of the adults (his stepfather, his mother) who were suppose to keep fernald out of it.

but the fact remains by the present itself, fernald is not the kid who was manipulated into being an accessory to crime. fernald is a former criminal feared due to his sharp hooks who took pride in his 'work', like kidnapping and murder and arson. fernald willingly ruined and made lives miserable. lives like the baudelaires and the quagmires.

while fernald is now retired from being a criminal, wanting to start anew with his sister (and stepfather, but that's a touchy thing fernald denies due to the complications of their relationship) by double-crossing the firestarters and olaf...

it doesn't forgive fernald's past crimes. his crimes aren't forgotten, nor forgiven, and the quagmires make that very clear, especially duncan and isadora. the three 'accepted' that while fernald is their travel companion (as well as his sister and his stepfather), they are also under no obligation to be polite and civil to him. they don't even call fernald by his name; just the name they know him by.

the quagmires are all passive-aggressive to fernald; quigley is more passive than aggressive, being 'cold' and willing to ignore fernald, but does attempt small talk when fiona and widdershins are around. duncan and isadora are more aggressive than passive; they glare at him at random, tells fernald to shut up if he's trying to take part in a conversation with any of them, as well as occasionally poking him up with sticks they found (which is an improvement compare to beating him up with sticks).

hector knows he should get the quagmires, especially duncan and isadora, to stop. to prevent an escalation that would likely have fiona and widdershins upset and angry and worry for fernald. to keep the tensions of the group at low as possible, hector needs to get the quagmires to tame their rightful dislike for fernald.

but hector knows that he can't. if hector tries hard enough, he can recall the boy that watches hector and widdershins (even before the man was fernald's stepfather) and others in their activities, making comments that occasionally get on their nerves or a laugh. hector can recall the boy who would curse and look embarrass, before getting told he's free to curse as long as his mother or little kids aren't present. hector can faintly recall fond memories of fernald the boy.

and that's why hector can't stop the quagmires. hector can only recall, and not even completely. fernald the boy is a distant memory to hector. fernald the boy in a way, no longer exist.

the fernald who hector knows now is just the hook-handed man.

#ramblings #hector #hector asoue #fernald #hook handed man #quagmire triplets #they're here more as a group than individual characters #headcanons #book verse #asoue #a series of unfortunate events #i suddenly had the urge to write my thoughts of hector and fernald's relationship. more on hector's side than fernald #hector pities and holds sympathy for fernald the boy but fernald the man...there is almost none for him #hector would throw hands at fernald but the quagmires are doing a good job taking out their rightful anger at fernald #hector watching fernald getting poke by duncan and isadora with sticks they found: suffer the consequences hook handed man