Chapter Text
Gatsby + trimalchio in general have so many themes that remind me of subspace.. arrogance, wealth, anxiety around clocks/ aversion to the reminder that your life is dripping through your own fingers as more time passes, SHOWING OFF, Gatsby’s fixation with being the “son of God” can also fit in well with subspace's god complex..
perhaps this is set a year after a war and Blackrock, similarly to how America fared economically better after world war 1 (in comparison to other countries), experienced a surge of growth from the war’s end. BOOM in technology, BOOM in machine manufactured products, BOOM in advertising, BOOM BOOM BOOM IN ECONOMY AS A WHOLE!
Promises of wealth and joy for all Blackrockians. “The Blackrockian Dream” is the closest it has ever been to being true!
“Events” are hosted almost daily. Intended for inphernals to show off their inventions. They’re basically massive competitions for attention, and the host often participates in this competition. But usually, in a different way than the guests. The hosts use the events to show off wealth, to buy as much extravagance as they can and put it on full display for all guests to see. “You are what you buy”. With the amount they glamour up the places, it often feels like more of a party than a formal event (NOT NEARLY as over the top as parties in The Great Gatsby because this IS still blackrock and these ARE intended to be "professional"-ish events but yeah)
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well thats the background information. heres how the PLOT would probably go
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Subspace and Medkit meet at an event, where Medkit is showing off his own inventions.
At the time, Subspace is middle class and very slowly climbing his way up, while Medkit is a patrilineal nepo baby.
Medkit shows outward dislike towards his own disgusting levels of wealthiness. He didn't want to inherit this. He only ever spends his excess wealth on the necessities, his creations, and attempting to make change in the world (A RICH GUY WHO’S ACTUALLY GOT KINDNESS IN HIS HEART???? PINCH me i must be DREAMING!!). Subspace is very very intrigued by this. He also finds it stupid, he thinks that “If he won’t even use any of his wealth, then wouldn’t it be better in my hands?”. His intrigue and entitlement gradually evolve into obsession, he begins to see potential in Medkit after a while of distantly observing him.
So Sub strikes up conversation with Med + offers up the idea of collaborating together. Since their goals (FOR NOW.) align and they are studying similar scientific fields. Med agrees!! Insert coworker arc. They get along decently well during this arc MATTER OF FACT i might even sneak in some implied one sided subkit 👀👀 but as time progresses their goals change paths (im thinking they both would’ve started out wanting artificial healing for all, but THEN something subspace saw or heard or was told made him go the complete opposite direction) and they start disagreeing with eachother more and more UNTIL. THE PHIGHT!! THE INCIDENT!!!! Blah blah blah ya’ll already know how that part goes. Predisaster Subkit ends HERE.
They go two separate ways. Except this time, Medkit is unable to defect from Blackrock. He’s stuck here. Forced to forge himself a new identity and lay low.
Subspace, meanwhile, made sure to squeeze as much out of Medkit as he could manage before he left. He profits off of MEDKIT’S forcibly abandoned projects and ideas. He earns great wealth through it. And all of a sudden, SUBSPACE is the one HOSTING the grand events instead of merely ATTENDING. And boy, does he make sure to fill his events up with spectacle. Flaunts his wealth like a peacock and wears the mask to match. I’ve also decided the peacock mask thing is exclusive to Subspace instead of event hosts in general.
Majority of Subspace events would be hosted because 1. He gets to show off!!!!! And 2. He knows that one day, Medkit will grow tired of hiding, tired of living on scraps, and he’ll make the mistake of attending an event.
He’s right, too!! Because a few years later, Medkit shows up to an event. He doesnt know Subspace is the one hosting the event because Subspace has a tendency of hiding from his own events and just watching them from a distance (just like gatsby does!). Medkit doesnt trust anyone here. Makes sure to show up disguised. Wants to just get in, sell as much as possible, and get out as fast as possible.
But Subspace notices. Subspace knows. And Subspace’s old obsession has returned with thrice the strength. Subspace begins showing up at his own events more. Disguising as another inphernal, trying to lure Medkit in with a false sense of security.
Tripmalchio!Subspace would sort of be?? In grief??? Over the days when he and Medkit used to actually get along. The days when they were just two likeminded inphernals pursuing the same goal. And the obsession that blooms within him (once he finds Medkit again) is one that stems from his need to RECREATE those days. The fact that time changes people, that he’s done irreversible harm to others, is something he refuses to accept. This is also how subspace would gain his aversion to time/clocks!
“Can’t repeat the past..? Of course you can!” - Jay Gatsby
---- few extra details i dont know how to fit in yet
Tripmalchio!Subspace would have himself thoroughly convinced that he is the “son of SFOTH” and destined to reach levels of wealth that only a deity could dream up (just like Gatsby!!).
I want to base Postdisaster Subspace off of Blanche Dubois from a Streetcar Named Desire. Because I've always thought that her and Subspace are strangely alike and in a different universe Subspace could be just like her. Subspace might avoid strong lights to hide his rot and preserve his "grandness" similarly to how Blanche avoids strong lights to hide her age and preserve her "femininity". He'd hide from lights through the use of parasols (like blanche does in my streetcar fic)!
I think he'd emphasise his role as a "victim" a lot similarly to how Blanche does too
Medkit could easily serve as a parallel to Allen... because with him leaving subspace also lost all of his "grandness"