#this is inspired by the scene is s10 where north and york are talking about alpha and wash just. shows up out of nowhere next to them lmao

[tvckerwash]

I feel like a massive missed opportunity when it comes to characterizing wash is that no one takes advantage of the fact that he's not a liar—in fact, he's extremely open and earnest—but despite that he is still able to hide the truth from everyone around him.

wash knows people, he intimately understands people, and he has mastered the ability to read between the lines to weaponize people's perceptions against them. when people think that you're just some silly little guy they let things slip that they would never say around anyone else, and while any other person might forget what you said—wash won't. wash will remember.

wash skillfully sweet talks his way straight into your heart with his sociable nature and genuine care and earnesty, and it's only when he's got a pistol pressed against your head or your face smashed into a mirror that you realize just how much you fucked up. you shouldn't have underestimated him and what he's capable of, you shouldn't have written him off.

in that moment you realize never understood wash—in fact you never knew anything about him at all, all you know is what he let you see. how much of what you know is real? how much of it is fake?

you don't know, you can't answer. but wash? he can answer those questions when it comes to you, because he was always there in the background, silently watching and listening, expertly redirecting and deflecting focus away from himself by acting like a harmless goofy dork or well meaning but gullible dumb ass.