#it might be dissociation + adhd because i heard it makes your thoughts really fast

[aggressive-positivity-network]

Do you have any autistic Scout headcanons? :P

Hell yeah!

I’ve actually thought about this a lot. A lot of people might think that Scout has ADHD, but I think he either has both ADHD and autism or just autism.

This is both because labeling Scout as having just ADHD is kind of a low-hanging fruit, and I also want to explore his symptoms a little more. So, in a word, I do, and thank you for asking about them!

*****************

Scout’s Spectrum:

So, where exactly does Scout fall on the autism spectrum?

First of all, he probably has both ADHD and autism, but wasn’t diagnosed with the latter until much later. This means that some of his symptoms were taken into account, but not all.

The ones that were paid attention to ramped up out of control, and the ones he didn’t hear about were stuffed away.

His ADHD symptoms include impulsiveness, need for stimulation, hyperfixations, forgetfulness, and insomnia; his autism symptoms include trouble with social skills, stimming, near inability to remember names and faces, lack of eye contact, hyperfixations again, and sensory processing issues, especially with noise and touch.

He used to have a lot of meltdowns when he was younger, usually about wearing new clothes and the amount of noise his eight brothers generated.

However, he was teased and pushed into masking nearly all the time, and made his whole personality about his ADHD, since that was what everyone accepted.

As he got older, he usually wrote off any autistic tendencies as either his ADHD or just “little habits” of his.

During his middle school years, he used energy drinks to bounce back from being exhausted every day after school. This would work, except those energy drinks would upset his ADHD, and would make it much harder to focus on even basic conversation.

After a while, he got such bad grades and had such a hard time making friends that Scout just stopped going to school altogether.

Baseball helped his focus, and the quick movement and thinking made a lot of sense to him. He never had to wait very long for the next development, and the instant gratification and community it provided supplemented what he never got at school.

With sports on his side, he rarely ever drank any energy drinks (the coach would never let them on the field), and he drank bucketfuls of water during every meet and game. Those teenage years were probably the healthiest he ever was.

However, with the amount of rumbles he got into with his brothers, and the turf wars that constantly raged in those neighborhoods, it was only a matter of time before his crime caught up with him.

After his first incarceration, he was booted from the team, which led to a downward spiral of unhealthy coping mechanisms - which included fighting someone tooth and nail whenever he could.

Even if he lost the fight, it not only catered to his impulsive nature and impatience, but also gave him roughly the same sense of friendship and camaraderie that baseball had.

One thing led to another, and by the time Mann Co. found him, Scout was a monster in hand to hand (and bat to bat) and had racked up quite the criminal record.

A perfect mercenary, ripe for the picking.

On The Team:

Scout very quickly adopted the “stupid, scrappy Boston boy” persona.

It was the only thing that made sense, and it kept him from having to try too hard in both the battlefield and socially.

Besides, that meant that he could be as silly, forgetful, and fidgety as he wanted, and no one would bat an eye.

And if he ever needed to take a break from the team, he figured everyone would appreciate the quiet.

The only thing that ever gave him away was him occasionally dissociating right when battle began, especially if the day had been stressful.

It was usually how he calmed down after a fight when he was young, but now he sometimes slid into that state when he was overwhelmed.

However, a yell from one of his teammates would usually snap him out of it.

Medic noticed this pretty early on, and wanted to look more into it, but Scout would keep making excuses not to get a mental examination.

He would blame it on zoning out, being tired, drinking too many Bonks - whatever it took for people to stop asking.

And, eventually, they did.

Even Medic stopped asking after a while - he couldn’t get a thing out of Scout.

This “try so little that when you do try it’s above average” charade worked for a long time. In fact, it went on for so long that Scout forgot how much he was actually capable of.

He began to internalize the stupidity, the exacerbation, the many comments on how dumb he was, everything.

The only time he ever gave his all was on the battlefield - moving fast, memorizing strategies, doing complicated footwork, knowing exactly how much force it took to crush someone’s skull with his bat.

That was one of the only things that he felt good doing, the only thing he could really work on without him being “found out.”

That and drawing, though he never showed the actual pieces to anyone. It was all stick figures and crooked lines with everyone else.

Sometimes, though, Scout wouldn’t be paying attention and he’d let something slip.

One time, Engineer was looking for his screwdriver, and couldn’t seem to find it anywhere.

Scout, not looking up from his comic, said, “Under the couch cushion, hard hat.”

Engineer bent down and reached into the couch, and his hand came back with his red and yellow striped screwdriver.

“Well I’ll be damned…”

At first Engineer thought Scout had just hid it, but Scout explained, still not paying attention:

“Last time we went out on th’ field, you had it on your belt, like always. But I was walkin’ by your workshop, you were usin’ a quarter to tighten a screw or somethin’. Your screwdriver had to be somewhere between the battlefield and your workshop. Engie, you’re like freakin’ clockwork. Every day, after a fight, you go to the kitchen, get a water, go to that couch, between the second and third cushion from the left, and sit there. Then ya go back to the fridge to get lunch and a beer, and ya go to your workshop until somebody needs you for somethin’. Your back loop in your tool belt is looser than all the others, ‘cause the screwdriver pulls against it when you sit down. The shank was probably in between the two cushions, and when you got up, it fell in. Demo, Pyro, and Heavy all sit on the second or third cushion at some point, so it got shimmied down. And since that’s the only time you sat down, ‘cause you woulda heard it if it dropped on the floor, and I…uh…”

“I’ll be damned,” Engie repeated, and felt the back tool belt loop. It was indeed loose.

Scout finally looked up, and realized what had happened.

“Uh, uh - l-lucky guess, huh Engie?”

Engineer squinted behind his goggles. “Yeah…real lucky…”

What ensued was Engie trying to get Scout to turn into a B.L.U Spy by chasing him around with his wrench. After a few good hits, though, Engineer saw that it was the teammate he knew and loved.

“But…how didja…?”

Scout threw his hand up, the other rubbing the back of his head where he’d been hit.

“I toldja Engie! Lucky guess! Jesus!”

Ever since then, Scout chose his words more carefully.

The Breakdown:

But, unfortunately, Scout could not pretend forever.

There was one week where Scout’s assignment count was so high that, if he wasn’t in a fight, he was on a mission.

Usually, Pauling wouldn’t trust him with so much, but no one else was available - or willing - to do the jobs.

Even when she was getting concerned about the amount of hours Scout was putting in, he blew it off.

“It’s no sweat, Miss Pauling! Their practically givin’ me the pay day. Those yahoos don’t know who they’re messin’ with.”

Over time, though, Scout had a harder and harder time staying focused and alert.

He’d sleep through alarms, stare off into space, zone out completely during briefing (not that he didn’t already do that), have a hard time hearing people in battle - even through his headset - ignore Spy’s taunts, and even forget to bring his bat onto the field.

Nothing seemed to help - Bonk!, warming up, stretching, cold showers, setting reminders, nothing.

And the team was starting to notice.

At first it was with the regular frustration - maybe Scout was just being lazy.

But as time went on, and his condition grew worse, their scorn turned into worry. They implored Medic to do something, but he had no way of getting through to Scout.

The doctor wasn’t above simply sedating him and dragging him into his lab for a check-up. However, he had a feeling that this was more than a physical issue.

The worst came when Scout was doing a routine battle with the B.L.U team on the field.

Everything had started out okay - he even remembered to bring his bad this time - but suddenly, everything was ear-splittingly loud.

He couldn’t focus on more than one sound at once, much less communicate the best course of action to his teammates.

He ended up hiding in a dilapidated shed, in a dusty, dark corner, somewhere between zoning out and panicking.

Scout’s head was in his knees, he was shaking, close to crying, when a sudden splitting of wood roused him.

A B.L.U Soldier had kicked his way into the shed, either having heard Scout or to hide from the other team.

Scout was stunned at first, but something of a blind terror filled him. He picked up his bat, screamed, and started pummeling the surprised Soldier.

At some point, he threw aside his bat and began to swing punch after punch, just like he did in his gang days when he had felt overwhelmed. Still screaming. Still crying.

By the time Scout had dissolved into a rocking, sobbing mess, the Soldier was long dead, with a gigantic pool of blood staining Scout’s shoes.

No one even knew where Scout was until a few hours later, when Spy heard a faint note of “Sexbomb” coming from Scout’s Walkman.

Scout had crawled into the shed’s framework, between the outer and inner wall, and was playing a specific verse over and over and over again, looking like he was on another plane of existence.

Spy immediately called for Medic, who had to lift Scout out by the underarms through a jagged hole in the side of the building. By then, the fight was over, so they could take him directly to the lab.

Medic’s Evaluation:

“I’m guessing zhis is your first mental breakdown?”

“Mental…doc, I ain’t crazy. Wait, you’re not goin’ to put me in a straight jacket, are ya?”

“If you’re not doing anyzhing later.”

Medic started to laugh, but quickly realized this might not be the time.

“No, Scout, everyvun has a mental breakdown at least vunce in their lives. It’s a…how do you say…a vake-up call of sorts. Vhen your body has no other options left.”

“Whaddya mean?”

“For zhe past few months, you health, both physical and mental, has been deteriorating. You eat less. You talk less. Your attacks are lackluster. You have bags under your eyes. You flinch vhen somevun yells for you. You stare off into space. Your routine, vhich usually has at least some changes, has become stringent, as if you can’t possibly expend any more energy into extra activities. You have avoided Demoman on zhe battlefield, even though you usually use him for cover.”

Medic flipped through his notes.

“I have pages and pages of your decline. However, as a scientist, I believe it is caused by zhe same source. And, though I usually respect my patient’s right to privacy vhen it comes to these sorts of matters, I believe you’ve been keeping something from me. Something that I should know as your general practitioner…your doctor.”

Scout shrugged, already shutting out the conversation.

Medic sighed.

“Maybe I tried to talk to you about zhis too soon. After all, you’ve just had a very sudden and exhausting episode. But…perhaps…”

Medic took a sheet of printer paper from his clipboard and a spare pen from his pocket.

“…zhere is an alternative.”

Scout was still unresponsive, but Medic continued.

“Zhere is a patient in my vaiting room vis a metal pole through the chest. It vill take me at least an hour to properly remove it, and a few minutes more to heal zhe area. Vhile I do zhat, vhy don’t you draw how you feel?”

Medic smiled.

“I know how much it grounds you.”

It wasn’t until Medic left that Scout actually picked up the pen, but he began drawing immediately.

For the first time in a while, he wasn’t trying to hide his strokes or scratch up the cleaner lines. No more stick figures. No more pretending.

Five minutes later, he was fully engrossed.

Medic started to walk in at one point, but, seeing how relaxed Scout was, decided to give him a few more minutes.

He deserved it.

[myfandomrambles]

Do you have reasoning/evidence for your Septimus Heap ND headcanons? If you don't feel like explaining it that's fine, I just like seeing the reasons people have certain hcs (and I really like yours!)

Yeah!

I have whole posts on Septimus and Marcia if you want to check those out. 

Well umm, hope you like this cuz this is pretty long. I super love these books, and I have thoughts lol. (Also: Projection? In my HCs? It's more likely than you think)

Jenna: ADHD & Anxiety

ADHD: 

she is generally very restless. Jenna never really is into just chilling with stuff. Often being the one to initiate doing things. Likes to stay busy even if it’s just walking through the halls of her palace or tending to the horses.

she can hyperfocus on things sometimes. We can see this when she’ll focus on things, like Maricas shoes in book one and kind of zone out when they walk and the stars outside her window.  In the second book, she remembers the bones in the skeleton and is able to just do it all in one go.

She gets distracted easily normally though bouncing between doing things. And gets bored when people talk around her. Like sometimes being the second one to get annoyed with Stanley.

Hyperfixations. Like the Dragon Boat for a while, the Queen's’ Room and other things.

Usually pretty hi energy. And has pretty large outbursts with her emotions even when trying to keep them under control. Kind of goes along I think with her kind of being described as one of the boys and a lot like her brothers in comparison to other kids. (I got called a tomboy a lot for my not liking sitting still and yes please I will play in the mud lol)

She stims some and doesn’t like not being able to. Comes up when she is trying to be unemotional or is told to play Queen.

Some impulsive behaviour. But even sometimes with more silly stuff as well.

Anxiety: In the later books, we see she can start to ruminate on things. On top of that, she starts to be a bit more cautious about things. Stuff that reminds her of previous stress is more powerful, not to the extent of PTSD like symptoms but it is noticeable. She also experiences anxiety in the run-up to having to make large decisions becoming more overwhelmed. I also think we see in the last to books some sympathy with sep who used to confuse her with his anxiety (like in Syren)

Mandy Marwick: C-PTSD & Selective Mutism

C-PTSD: 

Hypervigilant all the time. Down to the way he sleeps. 

Has identity confusion, kind of picking up new personalities around where he is. Reckless to his own detriment. Easily agitated. Struggles to form relationship really thrive where he can have more simple relationships. 

Also just like the young army, like Septimus he can sometimes slip back into the cations in relation to the young army.

Checks out possible dissociation may be related. He also shuts down in general in response to his emotions turning stress inward. He can even check out as a bit of a survival tool. This helps when he goes to see the Port Witch Coven.

Selective Mutism: He is just literally selectively mute, can talk but doesn’t under most circumstances. Doesn’t talk much, some people haven’t ever heard him talk. Being the most talkative with Septimus and then when necessary. And in Todd Hunter he is more talkative it seems especially with his boyfriend Sam Heap. 

Nicko Heap: PTSD & Depression

Well with this I’m mostly looking post-House of Foryx. It’s explicitly stated he is very different from when he left, never goes completely back but overtime is able to adjust back to home.

He had a lot of trouble reintegrating to things. Has become more passive in a sense, I think slowing down unable to do things and interact with his family the way he used to. Describes being tired, so  I think fatigue could be present.

Struggles to enjoy anything like he used to, even though he still likes boats he doesn’t get the same excitement we see in the early books more searching for peace.

His relationship with Snorri also is strained for a bit because they both feel so disconnected from everything. Preoccupied thoughts with the trauma too.

Sarah Heap: Anxiety and Depression

I think her anxiety is brought on when her very specific way of life in the Ramblings is disturbed and a mother of 7 is turned into really only being mother to 1 kid (Jenna) and even the kid still in the same general lace is essentially never been her kid and is mostly raised by someone else. This disruption caused this I believe. Flyte really describes this and we see it worsen anytime her kids is missing for long periods of time.

Ruminates on her kids and what they might be doing.  was shown to be irritable but in a way more reminiscent of anxious breakdown then anger when fighting with Silas. Obsessively, mothers, the duck Jenna brings back. Struggles anytime things she tries to use to manage stress (like her garden)

Depression: Shown to be very emotional often crying and showing signs of despair. Sometimes feels a bit secondary and useless/helpless when her skills around herbal medicine are not applicable and she really has the pertinent info to her kids' problems. This triggers hopelessness.

Has trouble keeping things clean, borderline hoarding behaviour. Observed in her sitting room.

Isolates from others. Seeming to only see her own family rarely out of her control, but when there is not a major problem like an illness or siege she tends to stay away from most people.

Simon Heap: BPD

BPD:

Deeply insecure needing outside validation and hates rejection and abandonment. This fear tears him up and fuels his worse choices.

Dangerous/Risky behaviour is common. I think his ability to hold his breath underwater is a Darke skill we see used in the port and later in the Todd Hunter books. But to have this and other of his Darke skill they would be practised.  We also see this in being willing to do bad dangerous things like pick fights with extraordinary wizards, neutral things like ride his horse way to fast. use half a flyte charm and use magic that is dangerous/draining/Darke for himself to protect the castle.

Unstable identity looks for a new one a few times when the perception of perfect wizard falls he become full-blown dark wizard breaking ties with his family, this breaks moves to the port tries to be something else but still not really a heap again, then alchemy apprentice and reunites become a family man (later even having his son). This also can be unstable goals after his fixated one is broken.

Volatile and hot relationships. Even his consistent relationship with lucy can be read as dramatic and volatile

Very dramatic emotional reactions, big mood swings. Also very reactive emotional states. Including anger

Is capable of long term planning to get his goal but still acts impulsively very often when his emotion are rilled up. Like joining Dom Daniel in the first place as a huge example.

Depressive symptoms and moods

Splits on people. Jenna, his Parents, and Septimus. Even picking a fight with Sleuth and his horse to some extent.

Lucy is his favourite person

Snorri Snorrelssen: Anxiety

Anxiety:

She definitely ruminates on things and can get stuck in one thought pattern.

She also scripts and will plan out what she is going to do

really doesn't like it when life doesn't go as planned, the seen in sally Mullins is so relatable TBH my poor girl.

Shows similar worsening problems with communicating and interacting after the house of Foryx to Nicko. Seeming even more disconnected and stressed out, Snorri even seeks to return home.

Ullr is a comfort animal. Having the magic ability of synching thoughts, but more commonly she plays off her cat to feel more in control and power. Even just his warmth and presence. She is very sad when they are separated but tells Ullr to work with Jenna.

Is on edge a whole lot in connection to being able to see hidden ghosts. Feels like she has to constantly watch everything she is doing.  

Syrah Syara: C-PTSD & Dissociation

C-PTSD: experience distress at reminders of her trauma. Relates well to sep but not the others. Shows clear signs of anxiety even when not possessed. Definitely shows feelings of helpless earned from her captivity. Has breakdowns.

Dissociation is way more of just a fan theory. I think her memories are not totally gone but a factor of dissociation. This might be more projection but I think the possession played a role in this with trauma. When the stuff with the syren and all of that happen her mind tried to deal with it all by dissociating. So I think it is possible she could remember the stuff. Also just she is relatable so yeah.

Silas: Dyslexia

This headcanon wasn’t mine originally I stolzed it from the great @septimusheapheadcanons In this post

Umm so yeah! That’s the things I think, Hope you liked it?