#i also think it's incredibly awkward for the boys growing up in hill valley with the surname brown when your dad is so infamous

[doctorbrown]

Hey! Rewatching animated series made me realise that Jules might be a papa's boy. What do you think? Any hcs of them??? I genuenly love reading your posts!

Hi!! First off aaaa thank you for popping by and the interactions and questions and liking my stuff—I appreciate it immensely and I'm honoured to hear you enjoy reading my stuff!

Second, okay—I've got lots of headcanons about the boys and I will definitely share some. I adore them immensely and I love how much of their parents you can see passed down to them while they're still doing their own thing.

To start, Jules is absolutely a papa's boy. He's his father's son, there's no question about it, and Doc is one of his greatest role models. While Verne absolutely loves his father and enjoys getting involved in Doc's projects when he can and wants his attention and love too (Doc loves his boys equally, of course, avoiding any shows of favouritism), he's very much a mama's boy. Verne is Clara's son through-and-through and you see that so much in their curiosity, their quick, sometimes snappish wit, and their hot temper. Clara would be the first out of them to engage in a confrontation, as would Verne.

However, one of the big exceptions is when some of the other kids are talking shit and saying nasty things about Doc, Clara, or one of the boys; both of them will jump in a heartbeat to defend their family—and it really annoys them because there are so many great and amazing things their father has done in the field of science that the world will never know about because they're related to the big family secret. They only wish they could rub it in the faces of their classmates so they'll stop calling their family weird and crazy and all manner of other things.

Jules feels it a little more intensely than Verne, because of the two brothers, Jules is the first one to be likened to his father and that doesn't spare him any mockery from his peers.

Both of Doc's sons are exceptionally brilliant, far beyond the level of their peers—the apple doesn't fall far from the tree—but Jules, like Doc, leans much more into the intellectual aspects of life over the emotional (unlike Verne, who lives guided/influenced more by his heart) and is often flaunting his intelligence even when he doesn't mean to. He enjoys learning and will lose himself in whatever new topic he's studying or project he's working on. Like Doc, Jules is on the path to fast-track his life.

However, unlike his father (and even Verne), Jules doesn't have quite the same level of self-confidence for himself that gets him to be more loud and boisterous. His temperament is also much more like Clara's, as Jules isn't as obvious with his feelings, nor is he extremely quick to share them. He's far more cool-headed and relaxed than Doc or Verne. Jules also cares far more about what people think of him, his family, and places a very high value on his intellect, fearing that he'll somehow be seen as lesser if he can't live up to his own standards. Clara and Doc never push him to do things he doesn't want to do—they're always encouraging the boys to pursue whatever it is that makes them happy, whether it's in the sciences or not—or (they hope) make him feel like he has exceptionally large shoes to fill, but Jules has it in his head that he's almost expected to be like his father and that, somehow, he'll disappoint them if he isn't.

Verne, however, lives on the opposite end of the spectrum, letting his heart lead and willing to go wherever he wants, even if he makes a whole slew of mistakes along the way. Confidence is something he grows up to have in spades, especially when he's more certain of himself and where he wants to be. Verne's the kid who might get into a fight trying to defend somebody and his teachers might all think he's just a little troublemaking punk, but other than a few incidents on record, Verne's a fine student with exceptionally high marks.

Verne is a little more calculating with when he lets his intelligence show. In a way, he learns to weaponise it, drawing on everything he's learned from his brilliant parents when it's necessary to do so. He keeps his exam grades a secret in school because while he doesn't want to lie about it per se, he doesn't want his intelligence to become one of his defining features and, really, it's nobody's business. Verne fits more of the picture you'd have of the average kid/teenager. He gets into trouble like it's his job, he likes to play pranks, stay out late, he's got a sharp tongue, he begs Marty to teach him how to skateboard or rent scary movies for him and his friends to watch because they're too young, all of that.

Their personalities clash quite a bit and both of them think it's fun, as siblings to, to try and get under the other's skin and drive them crazy. Sometimes, there's a little sibling rivalry going on—they'd even fought about which one of them their parents loved better. Their arguments got heated enough to the point where they needed Doc and Clara to step in and intervene and say they're being ridiculous, that they don't love one over the other.

But I got a little rambly and sidetracked so more on Jules absolutely being a papa's boy (I hope)—

He was the first kid, so Doc absolutely doted on him. I think Jules was also a little afraid when he was younger that getting a little brother meant that his parents weren't going to love him anymore; Doc and Clara noticed that he was acting strangely and went to great lengths to assure their young boy that they were going to love him just the same. He warmed up to Verne relatively quickly. It still took a little time.

Jules, whenever he was having problems, would typically go seek out his father for advice; he was more comfortable around him. Jules also really loves the way Doc explains things; for a little while, when he was younger, he tried to mimic Doc in the grandiose and enthusiastic way he could talk about anything, especially the stories about his life or the lessons he was teaching, but he never could quite nail that because, for him, it felt awkward and unnatural. Doc noticed this pretty quickly and it was pretty comforting for him to hear that he doesn't need to act like anyone else; he just needs to be himself. What did feel natural was learning how to approach things from a more logical perspective, just like his dad did.

Doc is one of Jules' role models, no question. He's so proud and awed and impressed by his dad and he (and Verne too, tbh) considers himself lucky to be Emmett Brown's son. Even if it's difficult some days.

Both boys spent a lot of time hanging around (when they were allowed) near Doc's workspace or helping out in small ways with building the Time Train. Verne enjoyed the science parts of it to an extent, but he was more excited to be involved than anything else. Jules always had a dozen questions or more ready to throw at his father while they were working and Doc would answer them with as much detail as was appropriate to at the time.

I also see Jules following somewhat in Doc's footsteps and pursuing a career in the sciences, however I can see him leaning more towards medical sciences, just wanting to help people. Who knows; like his dad, he might make a breakthrough in his field someday—

[toccarathings]

Rebecca - 1

August, 1982 - Mt Tamalpais State Park, CA Cara leaned back on her elbows in the grass, head falling back, eyes closed, soaking up the summer sun. It was two days past the last full moon and she finally felt fully recovered. Her small Airstream trailer gleamed silver in the sunlight behind her, unhitched from the pickup truck parked next to it. She loved this spot, her spot, within the confines of the state park in the hills across the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco. On clear days (and sometimes not so clear days) she would watch hang gliders launch from the cliffs nearby and soar out over Bolinas Bay far below them. Other days she worked as a guide for guests of the Mill Valley Inn, a small, quaint hotel a few miles away. But it was here that she felt most at peace, the scents of pine and leaves and sun and salt water filling her senses and lulling her into laying back for a light doze.

“Shitshitshit Zeus! No!”

The female voice penetrated Cara’s consciousness, but not before she was bulldozed by the warm, soft, and very large bulk of a rottweiler whose sole mission at the moment seemed to be to lick her to death. The entirety of his hind quarters wagged in excitement at his discovery as she tried half-heartedly to fend him off. “Okay, okay,” she said, laughing as she sat up and tried to get the upper hand. A bright red leash trailed from a matching collar as he hopped around excitedly. Having gotten her attention, the dog flopped to the ground next to her and rolled onto his back, tongue lolling from his open mouth, a clear indication that belly rubs were to commence. Cara complied. “What’re you doing out here, huh boy?” she asked him.

There was a crash of brush and a disheveled, out-of-breath woman appeared in the small clearing Cara called home. She wore khaki shorts, a loose black tank top, and a pair of scuffed and worn Doc Martens boots with the whites of athletic socks peeking just over the tops. A blue check flannel was tied around her waist, the ends flapping in the light breeze. The woman bent at the waist, hands on her knees, catching her breath. The ends of her pony tail fell to hide her face. Cara couldn’t help but admire the rest of her as she stood and brushed at grass and leaves and pine needles that had stuck to her skin. The dog performed an awkward wriggling flip and gained his feet as well, standing next to Cara, head the size of a boulder looking from one woman to the other.

“I am...so sorry...” the woman said between breaths. She stood upright and shook her head to get the ends of the ponytail behind her once more. Women don’t sweat, they glow. The old adage came to Cara’s mind and she’d remembered scoffing at it every time she heard it. Now she understood. The woman before her stood in the sunlight wearing a sheen of perspiration from her exertion chasing the dog and she absolutely glowed brighter than the silver of her trailer, brighter than anything she’d ever seen before. Flashing from the glow were a pair of piercing amber eyes that seemed to cut through her. She became acutely aware of the beating of her own heart, surprisingly slow and steady but very loud in her ears.

“It’s fine,” Cara finally got out after realizing she’d been staring for far too long. She scratched the top of the massive head and the dog sat down and leaned against her leg. “He’s a great dog. Zeus, is it?” she asked, chancing a look back, forcing herself to look away now and then. It was the other woman’s turn to stare and Cara grew increasingly self-conscious in her bikini. It wasn’t the first time she’d gotten a look like that, however the growing crease between her brows was new.

“Yeah. Zeus.” The dog’s ears perked at his name and he sat panting contentedly. The woman tipped her head, staring curiously at the pair, Cara barely dressed - distracting enough - and her dog standing there as if this was his long lost mother or something. “He never does that,” she said, her voice distant, confused. “He’s also never run off on me like that before. What is it...?”

Cara caught an accent once the woman strung more than a couple of words together at a time, a metered southern that reminded her of magnolias and molasses and hot, lazy summer days. Cara couldn’t say anything about the bond she shared with the god-named creature beside her, distant though it may be. “I’m kind of a dog person,” she explained, her senses and a smile beginning to return. “They can sense these things.” Zeus continued to look back and forth, his dark brown eyes following the invisible current passing between them. “Or maybe he caught the scent of a rabbit and then he came across me and decided I was easier to catch?” she offered with an amiable shrug.

The woman’s face relaxed as she laughed. “He’s never chased a rabbit. Looks at them sometimes, but never even tenses up like he’s thinking about it.” The woman took a few steps closer and Cara felt the dog’s hind quarters bump against her as his stub of a tail wagged, taking the back half of his body with it. “C’mere boy,” she called, clapping her hands lightly and holding them out as if he would run in for a massive hug. Which, Cara figured, he might.

Zeus looked up at Cara, body tensed, waiting for...something. She gave a low chuff, one she hoped the woman a few feet away wouldn’t hear, and the rott took off, excitedly greeting his owner. The laugh that came this time was magical, the high tinkling of a windchime catching a breeze before stilling again. Cara folded her arms loosely across her bare stomach as she watched, moderately jealous of both the woman and the dog. She barely concealed astonishment as Zeus took the woman’s hand gently but determinedly in his mouth and pulled her closer to Cara. “He’s quite a character,” Cara noted with a chuckle. The closer she got, the more entranced Cara became.

“Oh he’s that alright. Just not usually like this. He’s acting so strange today,” the woman said with another shake of her head. Pleased with himself, Zeus sat, then lay down with a deep sigh and rested his chin on his paws. “I really am sorry if he scared or disturbed you. He didn’t hurt you, did he?” she asked. It was obvious concern in her gaze that traveled quickly over Cara’s form, but that wasn’t all that was there.

“No, not at all,” Cara assured her. There were a couple of light scratches, but those had already healed. “He just came up like we’d known each other forever. I’m Cara,” she introduced, offering a hand.

“Rebecca,” the woman answered, shaking it. Her grip was firm and warm and Cara felt a jolt run up her arm and land in the pit of her stomach where it grew a thousand wings and fluttered about. They were still holding hands, gently pumping up and down. They both seemed to realize at the same time that it was far longer than it should have been and let go. Color rose on Rebecca’s tanned cheeks and Cara could feel the matching heat in her own. Rebecca looked around at the trailer, the truck, the folding lawn chair, the fire pit. “Camping?” she asked.

“I kind of live here for the moment,” Cara admitted. “I prefer the space to cramped apartments.” And I turn into a wolf for a night every month, so that makes city-dwelling a challenge, she didn’t say. “Plus the glider launch is just over there,” she said pointing. As if on queue, one took off, leaping from the cliff’s ledge and dropping a few feet before currents caught the wings and he rose out over the bay.

“You hang glide?” Rebecca asked, shock plain on her face.

“What? No! Oh gods no,” Cara answered vehemently. “It’s fun to watch but I’m not crazy.” She turned back and met Rebecca’s eyes again. “What about you? What brings you up to Mount Tam today? Or did Zeus drag you all the way from the city?” she teased. Rebecca seemed relieved to hear Cara didn’t jump off the sides of cliffs. That would have been the least of things to worry about, Cara thought.

“Oh, um, hiking with some friends,” Rebecca replied, glancing back the way she’d come. “Kind of a last hurrah for my post-grad group before we have to knuckle down and get to work,” she explained with a casual roll of her eyes. “One of them suggested coming up here to hang out. Said it had nice views.”

Cara wasn’t exactly sure if Rebecca was being literal or metaphorical. “They weren’t wrong. Wildlife’s incredible here.” At this point Cara wasn’t sure which one she was going for either.

“You can say that again,” Rebecca muttered in a voice most wouldn’t have been able to hear, but Cara could. She cleared her throat and tucked her hands in her pockets. “I should, um, probably get back. To my friends,” she said, and Cara thought she heard a twinge of reluctance, but it might have just been wishful thinking on her part. “If I can find my way back,” she added, looking around at trees that all looked exactly the same.

Cara just smiled and shook her head a bit. “Give me a minute to throw some clothes and shoes on. I’ll help you find them.”