Elemental AU: Book 2 (Fire)

Tyson is most naturally aligned with Earth, but how would Tyson manage with the other four elements?

Tyson’s phobia of fire is well-established, but he would do rather well with fire.

His pyrophobia is one of his oldest and deepest phobias, yet it is also the one that Tyson has the easiest time handling; fearing something has never prevented Tyson from loving it or flourishing with it. He is Icarus, after all.

His tendency to throw himself in the pyre aside, Tyson has fantastic self-control and discipline; near infinite patience. He has the focus to push past his fears to harness fire. In many ways, having control over fire would help dissuade his fears, which mostly rotate around the wild and uncontrollable nature of fire.

He favours defence over attack, but the best defence is a good offence and Tyson is an old hand at turning something intended for attack into a viable defensive strategy. Sometimes that strategy is clever and cunning, and at other times it’s as simple as no longer needing defence if the enemy is defeated.

It may not be his favourite technique, but Tyson knows the defensive potential of power yet to be unleashed; of having superior firepower. In a more physical sense, though it too applies to larger strategic thinking, Tyson knows how effective taking an attack stance can be at providing a defence. Defending by forcing the opponent to retreat into their own defensive position.

He is an opportunity attacker who would be well-suited to fire’s versatility of attack styles and the idea of unleashing a flurry of blows into an opening to inflict as much damage as possible once an opening presents itself - or using that onslaught to force an opening - is something that Tyson regularly utilises.

Tyson is destined to burn by flying too close to the sun - several times - yet until the day that arrogance finally finished him off, that experience gives him an intimate knowledge of fire. He knows the dangers of playing with fire, but he also knows how to toy with it; how to tease and dance away with minor singes.

And that’s fire, taking a surprising second place.

Candles

Given his pyrophobia, it’s not all that surprising the candles are one of the few - and, from his point of view, agonisingly important - parts of Jewish tradition that Tyson tries to distance himself from as much as possible.

Some of his earlier memories are being afraid of the Shabbat candles lit by Ms Appleby, and - even though Tyson knows that it’s an entirely irrational fear that isn’t his fault - there is an inescapable feeling of guilt in Tyson about that.

His Jewishness is one of the most important things about Tyson, to Tyson; even though he’s rather non-observant in his faith. When he does or does not go to Synagogue, that’s an active choice that Tyson can make, but flinching away from Shabbat candles isn’t. It’s reflexive and it hurts him every time it happens.

Lights

Though he is most definitely a night owl when sleeping on a more regular schedule, Tyson takes great comforting in having light around him.

When trying to avoid the Colonel or escaping the police, Tyson keeps to the shadows to avoid detection, but even having a street light in his peripheral vision is incredibly soothing for Tyson. He doesn’t even need it to illuminate his area, just for it to be nearby.

He finds it much easier to sleep when there is a light on and he’s less likely to devolve into a panic attack if he wakes from a nightmare with some light around. Usually, this means that Tyson will put his phone on charge, on one of the shelves above his bed, and keep it locked open and bright.

He keeps a blue lamp in the bedroom cupboard of his apartment.

The walk in cupboard has several shelves and two racks to put clothes on. There is always a spare shelf encase anyone stays over. The clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories that Tyson keeps in his cupboard are here. Tyson uses the cupboard as a ‘den’ to hide himself away in when he has PTSD episodes. Tyson’s den was a place for him to retreat when he had episodes of PTSD or was just generally distressed. The floor is covered in pillows, quilts, and blankets and any other items in the cupboard are hidden behind large sheets that hang down from hooks in the ceiling. This is so that when he goes in there with an episode nothing he sees can trigger him because all he’ll be able to see was a white sheet. The only items in the cupboard that he doesn’t hide behind the sheets are a teddy-bear that used to belong to his mother, now deceased, and a lamp that emits soft blue light. The sliding door has a bolt lock on the inside.

For all his fear of fire, when he was on the run with Sebastian through Afghanistan, into Pakistan and then India, Tyson appreciated the light the fire provided much more than its heat. The light giving them away was always a risk, but with a Dakota Fire Pit, the flames were out of sight whilst providing a reassuring pool of light for Tyson to watch.

Fire

Though Tyson is also afraid of alcohol and thunder/lightening, his strongest - and oldest - fear is his pyrophobia. However, it is also the one he finds easiest to deal with.

He doesn’t have a specific nervous tick or one particular method that will keep him calm around it. Instead, fire always puts Tyson on edge - even a simple candle flame - but beyond refusing to allow the flame out of his sight for more than a few seconds, Tyson will be fine; no matter how long he has to stay in the fire’s presence.

When a mission requires surviving in the wilderness, Tyson can create bonfires and fire pits, but he’ll sleep almost too far away to feel its warmth and - frequently - let his food get burnt, hesitating too long to retrieve something from the spit. Generally, he favours making a Dakota Fire Pit, as removing the flames from sight makes things easier for him and it’s also a better way of staying undetected.

Unlike his phobia of thunder, lightning, and alcohol, which can all be linked to specific events or memories, Tyson doesn’t know what - if anything - caused his phobia of fire. It had been that way ever since he was a young child, some of his earlier memories are being afraid of the Shabbat candles lit by Ms Appleby.

Whilst Jethro would watch the flames in the fireplace and be transfixed by how they moved, and want to burn various items to see how it would look, Tyson would stare at the flame to make sure they weren’t touching anything flammable. As if looking away from the flames would mean that the house would suddenly turn to ash as the fire burned it down.

With all that said, Tyson understands why fire appeals to people aesthetically; and he absolutely understands being attracted to things you knew were dangerous.

Word related head canons

Burn

Since a young age Tyson had been scared of fire.

Whilst his brother would watch the flames in the fire place and be transfixed by how they moved, Tyson would stare at the flame to make sure they weren’t touching anything flammable. As if looking away from the flames would mean that the house would suddenly turn to ash as the fire burned it down.

Quiet

From toddler to early teen Tyson was quiet, father was working.

For the rest of his teens Tyson was quiet, father was working.

Twenty to twenty seven Tyson was quiet, there was work to be done.

Traveling to India Tyson was silent, Sebastian was talking.

Fleeing back home Tyson was silent, the police were coming.

Hiding from the Colonel Tyson was silent, everyone was coming.

Now safe and sound with darling dearest Tyson was resounding, the consulting criminal was calling.