#This took an embarrassing amount of time to write up

[ghouldtime]

*slides into the DMS*

S O. What does social anxiety for König look like through your fantastic characterization then? 👀

(Love your Alone operator series btw. Got me on the edge of my seat with each chapter!!)

(Thank you!! 💚💚💚 I'm so glad you're enjoying :D you all have been so so sweet with it and Im over the MOON so many people have liked it)

To answer this question I'm going to have to be a biiig yapper and explain why I think of him the way I do

Going to say this to start, but I'm going with the true fact that König is indeed diagnosed with social anxiety - anything else I'm saying is based off of my personal interpretation of how he acts in game as a disclaimer

I'm also going to state that personally, the König I write is in his lower to mid 40's. Sorry not sorry, I don't see him as a young dude. Especially not when it's pretty much agreed upon that he's a colonel. So he's had a SIGNIFICANT amount of life experience, and a significant amount of time to work on himself and have introspection.

To me, it makes the most sense that he was diagnosed with social anxiety earlier on in his childhood since it was significantly more obvious when he was younger. Something that severe wasn't unnoticed by those around him because some of them did care about him. It's also stated he's suffered from severe social anxiety throughout his life so that's how I took it.

I personally go with he grew up in a more rural town in his homeland of Austria, which meant there weren't exactly others around during the first few years. "Go play with the neighbors kids" didn't really work when there weren't neighbors around. It was mainly him and his parents and an occasional relative over.

What could be brushed off as initial shyness clearly couldn't be anymore when he finally was enrolled in school.

Even on the first day when it's "introduce yourself to everyone", he fucked that up so monumentally it'll be engraved forever in his hall of shameful memories that he thinks about late at night. School was an utter nightmare, quite frankly, from moment one. The whole situation was too much, too stressful, and too different from the life he had at home. He flat out refused to get up and present in front of the class and wouldn't talk in group projects just for the fear of embarrassing himself. At that time, he was hitting all the indicators for social anxiety like they're the targets he shoots at today.

He missed out on a lot of interaction with other kids initially because of how awkward he was - and having any form of anxiety never helps in social situations. Talking to others wasn't something that came naturally and his own panic amplified it tenfold. Most times, he'd either pretend he didn't hear them, avoid them, or stray as far to the edge of the group as possible to avoid it. Unfortunately this made him an easy target because kids are RUTHLESS and turned him into even more outcast as well which only worsened it.

School always sucked for him due to that, despite the fact that he was a smart kid. No amount of smarts could save you from social persecution when you had nearly no social skills to boot. [ side note but I'm dying on the hill that he's incredibly intelligent and has a bachelors degree (at the very least)].

His parents kept him in therapy to help him manage because without it, he'd be back at square one refusing to go to school and faking a cold just to get out of it. And of course, therapy is a very important tool when it comes to healing, coping, and managing severe mental disorders. The whole reason why he doesn't show such bad anxiety anymore is because he kept the skills he learned and applies them so much that it becomes his second nature.

He's had at least 35 years of this, he's good enough to mask and to keep up his facade.

Another part of why he doesn't show it nearly as much is because he joined the military and was thrown through the wringer with it. Being bullied for so long was a major motivator for joining in the first place, as he needed something to get away from the peers who tormented him so and he needed a new life where he wasn't known as target #1. But he ALSO wanted to gain actual confidence and more certainty in himself.

Joining the military really means you're not left with such things as many choices when it comes to anxiety in social situations. You're forced into quarters with others, have to work side-by-side, do nearly everything together, so on and so forth. He knew that going in but at that point for him it was like extreme exposure therapy, the last step he needed to really put everything he learned in therapy to work.

That doesn't mean he didn't suffer or loved it. No, it was terrible, intense, and nerve-wracking. But he wouldn't have done it otherwise if he didn't want that. Being in the military didn't give him the leeway to avoid what made him anxious, it taught him to face it head on and fight.

Now that he's up there in age and has considerable more experience (and leeway with having a higher rank), the ways he expresses it [look at me finally answering the question] are more subtle.

On the field, you're likely not going to notice it. Because that's him turning the little auto pilot switch in his mind to on when he has a job. The job is his focus and everything has been so engrained in his mind that it's muscle memory. He's, quite frankly, focused on not dying and getting any job done over himself. The joking you often hear him do and taunting alike is part of how he's expressing the confidence he feels when he's in his element, when he KNOWS what he is doing.

If you look closely or approach him off the field, however, it's another story. He usually tenses or straightens himself out when people approach and will hold that until they leave (unless they're someone who he truly knows). Many assume that's a taught habit of the military, but that's only half-true. He did that before then.

Unlike when he's working, he doesn't have a guide or things he knows he has to do in a specific order to best ensure survival - no matter how much talking to other people feels like the heat of the battle, you can't (legally) solve it with a gun or throw a frag and book it out of there. There's no true guide to social interactions and that stresses him out. There's no manual, no field guide, no ten step card on how to successfully navigate them.

He knows things that are normal to say, he knows sometimes what he should say - it's just a matter of finding the phrasing and how to say them. Yet it seems like whenever someone doesn't follow his pre-programmed line of thought when it comes to their talking, his mind can shut down and go blank as he stares, trying to figure out where to go or what to say (spoiler: it usually doesn't end well).

He's usually awkward to talk to because he's running over everything in his head as he tries to think of what best to say to avoid further interactions or ones that could be more targeting to him. And, as mentioned, he lacks the average set of social skills that plenty learn in childhood because he didn't have that proper socialization. He's also still not the best at talking itself and can be blunt and to-the-point, which also doesn't usually go down well.

Not to mention, he's bad at small talk and has a terrible, sarcastic sense of humor that many can't read and it quickly turns things uncomfortable very fast because everyone takes him seriously. It never helps he usually doesn't explain himself all too well, usually leaving it as is as he secretly wishes he didn't talk at all when mortification sets in. Hurrying away with an excuse of some paperwork or something else to busy himself is his go-to after those.

When possible, he'll avoid small-talk and greatly prefers gestures instead. Someone who can appreciate his greater need for silence and a lack of talking is someone who he will greatly appreciate in turn. He's a firm believer that not all silences are uncomfortable and sometimes, it IS best not to say anything at all.

Due to his childhood too, he's not really fond of being around many people and will do his best to avoid it. Unless he has to grin and bare it, he won't. He finds his mind calmest when he can just be himself without having to worry about saying the right things to appease others or to be friendly. That way he can focus on what he wants, think how he wants, and feels how he wants without second guessing himself or having to worry about existing.

He's going to avoid most public settings when possible. Though he can now suitably manage his anxiety, they're something he passes up on. Grocery store trips are something he does maybe once a week or two, if that - stock piling so he has to go to the store less is his usual strategy. Anything he can do himself, he WILL do himself, if he doesn't have a trusted person who can do it better or can help.

Notably, he also doesn't have many friends. He's like talking to a brick wall and unless you're considerably persistent and understanding of his need for space, you won't get far. A lot of people don't have the time nor patience for it, but if you do get close to him, he does come out of his shell. He appreciates anyone who cares enough to actually get close to him and get to know him despite how awkward he can be, and will be loyal to the end because of that.

Another side effect is that he doesn't sleep well. Between the massive amounts of trauma from his job and the trauma from his childhood, he doesn't sleep well as is. But the social anxiety aspect comes into play because many nights, his mind is rerunning all the interactions he's had as he chronically overthinks them. He always wonders what he could've done, how he could've improved, and what they're thinking of him (even if they're someone he may never run into again). Its very hard for him to shut his mind off and doing such usually requires him drowning everything else and making himself not think about that, or anything, any more.

[Another side note: He's an avid reader. Reading gives him new things to think about and can help put him to sleep, especially before bed. It's a good way for him to stop thinking about whatever was nagging him and shifts his mind into thinking about other things he enjoys instead)

Basically, IN SHORT this isn't my full in-depth detailed characterization of exactly who I think he is - the reason he's not presenting it as an anxious ball of pure energy who is so uwu shy and soft is because he is incredibly well-managed with his severe social anxiety at his age and that's uh, just not him. Social anxiety doesn't mean he's a blubbering mess or will cry at the slightest inconvenience and reducing him to that or treating anyone with social anxiety like they're a child because of it does not help at alllll.

He's had extensive therapy for this, he's got his methods, he can mask very well. He's a WHOLE GROWN MAN who is responsible for not only his actions but how he manages his emotions and he knows it. But if you know him and know what to look for, you'll be able to pick it up.

(Also the sheer amount of scenarios I've seen where people think he just would... cry if you took his mask off??? Him???? HIM???? König, "I can make you talk, where are they?" the skilled PMC operator? That one? That guy? Yeah no, anyone dumb enough to do that better have signed their will prior or hopefully has an intensive love for scrubbing all the floors with a single old toothbrush. He won't tolerate people harassing or hustling him or pressing on his nerves. Sure, it reminds him of his childhood bullies, but quite frankly that behavior as grown adults trying that is RIDICULOUS, it pisses him off and immediately lowers his opinion on them.)

To whoever made it this far, I hope this made sense, I took melatonin before I got the ask so I'm in another realm right now LMAO. König is one of my favorites and was the first character I realllly really loved and I just hate seeing him done so dirty. Especially as someone with severe social anxiety myself, it irritates me when it's portrayed just so... wrong and quite frankly, in a lazy, offensive manner lacking any nuance especially in relation to the character who has it. Like just making him stutter and cry isn't all social anxiety is and there's SO much depth and things to work with despite the... actual substance as far as his bio goes

[silverinkgoldenquill]

A-Z of Murder: #C

#C - Cover up.

This is for purely literature purposes. Crime is bad, don't do it. This might be a bit graphic for some, so read with caution.

Cases/ Killers Mentioned:

- Dennis Neilson

- Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay, as also mentioned in the A of my A-Z posts. 

For an offender, the cover-up is crucial. If they can cover their tracks then they can get away with murder, literally. I will mention I only studied criminology at A level and I watch lots of murder documentaries which is where most of this information comes from.

The best way I can think of covering this in literature is to look at the questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? And How? It’s helpful for thinking of ways in which your character can cover certain aspects up. If the offender can mask even a few of these they're more likely to get away with it. I'll go over them a little.

Who?

Not only will people perhaps commit a crime with their face covered or sometimes in disguise, but they can make an effort to hide who their victim is. I've heard of a lot of grizzly ways: acid baths, fire, dismemberment, being put in a body of water (so the bottom of the sea or a lake), Dennis Neilson, an English serial killer dismembered, boiled, and flushed some of his later victims down the toilet.

But all methods of hiding victims have their limitations. Neilson's disposal technique clogged the drains and got him caught, a fire won't necessarily eliminate all DNA, acid takes time. Even a burial can eventually be unearthed- especially a shallow grave. There is usually something a detective can find, especially when you write something up.

In some cases investigators can track how a person might have planned the cover-up, CCTV of them buying a large container to put the body in for example, or finding the receipt in their car or bin.

Yet, sometimes there is no body.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t evidence that can lead to a conviction of murder. If your fictional murder was an absolute bloodbath and the investigators have the crime scene, then no clean up will get rid of all the blood. Chemicals like luminol will be able to find trace amounts (that's the stuff that glows blue when it reacts with blood. I think you use UV light to see the glow.)

Even without the crime scene, people notice when people just disappear. Murderers are unlikely to know every conversation a victim has had with others. They have other commitments. Clubs, talking to friends, getting groceries and saying their usual hello to the cashiers. People have gut instincts and follow them, and sometimes report it to the police.

No friends? No commitments? Still not impossible to notice a disappearance. No one paying the bills? The government will get on that. Not going to check-ups at a dentist? Phone Calls not being answered- the point is when it comes to writing you can always make a reason as to why someone will suspect foul play.

What?

So simply what happened?

A smart killer would need to disguise what happened. If your detective doesn't know what happened, then it's very hard to say who did it - and even then, did what?

So if your killer has time, they might tidy up after a nasty struggle, delete phone records, wipe CCTV tapes, whatever they can get their hands on that might give them away as the killer. Alibis tie quite strongly into all this - if you can't have a fake alibi, you're more likely to get nicked. There's a lot of cases where killers have been given allies by other people, like their mothers, because they think they're innocent and they're just doing them a favour. It can result in more deaths because the killer hasn't been caught.

If there's no body it can be harder to tell what has happened, so it's harder for your detective to solve a crime since they don't know what the crime is! But of course, there will always be loose ends, and for writing, you need those loose ends to solve the case.

Where?

A lot of killers will take their victim somewhere of their choosing to kill them. Additionally, they might kill them in one place (the primary crime scene) and hide them somewhere else, (the secondary crime scene). Sometimes, this place is somewhere closely related to the killer - after all, you have to know your hiding place, for example, a game's keeper is going to know the best ditches in his land over someone from the city. That's a good loose end to use. Things can get tricky if a body is found on the edge of the road, but as long as your detective can find something, even a crumb, it can all unravel.

When?

Very tightly linked to an alibi. Go to the pub, have an hour, sneak out, murder, then come back, getting as much attention on yourself as you can. That has been done before, by Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay. The alibi fell through because they were wanting to get too noticed and it was suspicious. So yeah, Alibis are very important for your killer to get away with murder.

But also when the killer always kills after 5pm, it's likely that they work, just as one area means they know that area, so one way to cover their tracks. Maybe your detective realises it's only changed pattern because it was a bank holiday and they're off work? I think you get the idea.

Why?

Motive time! This one probably applies less to yee olde serial killer and more one time, or maybe two-time killers. (The second being a murder to silence a witness or someone close to the truth etc.)

But yes, why a person has killed another is important to hide. A rich husband getting a divorce from his wife makes it more likely that the wife would be responsible, to keep the detective off their tracks, the killer would have to mask that, frame another, throw the detective on another path, maybe the husband, for example, has run away with a young girl. That sort of thing.

How?

Should a professional grappler strangle someone to death, well, it's obvious who the finger is gonna point out. They're gonna maybe stab them for good measure, but that won't hide the bruises that form on the skin. Even the stabbing- what knife did they use. If it's one of their kitchen knives it's gonna tie back to them pretty easily. And that is another reason to get rid of the body.

Another thing I remember about the Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay case was that the killer, who killed his family with a bat, attacked them naked so that there were no bloodied clothes to find. He then showered in their home. That case shows some forward thinking, that your character may do, or it could be the spur of the moment, which is more likely to leave loose ends.

But the modus operandi reveals things about the killer. A really clever killer is going to be careful, choose a method that reveals as little as possible about them. Shooting using someone else's gun, maybe easy to get poison or drugs, something less hands-on, but even then, there are ways of finding out the truth. (So again don't be using this as a how to get away with murder post).

Hopefully, this will help you see the loose threads that your detective can pick up on. Good luck with your writing!