#but he doesn't identify with the name matthew anymore so???

[demon-of-the-ancient-world]

A LOT of Headcanons about Piranesi coming back into the real world:

For once an adaptationless book I'm Unhealthy about actually has a decent sized following and I can talk about it without screaming into the void of obscurity, so I'm gonna take mad advantage of that and spew out all the Thoughts I had into one post. Yay!

One of the first things he learns to do is cook properly (re: stuff that isn't seaweed and fish) and throws himself into it 100%

Was never much of a cook before but since he was kind of forced to learn in order to survive he's eager to branch out

Remembers his mother making Ghanaian food for he and his sisters when they were kids so he tries to learn some of those dishes

And the first time he makes one for his mom she cries

Actually it's hard for her to look at him at all without crying

He sort of understands why on an intellectual level, but still feels so disconnected from everything that it confuses and alarms him

His dad isn't quite sure what to do with him

Tries to bond in a dad kind of way and he latches on pretty quick to any kind of intellectual discussion but always feels like he makes his dad a little sad

In general he wants to connect with his family but can't help noticing the sad/concerned/disturbed energy they feel when they're around him

And again he understands why, but just can't bring himself to feel the same. They're new people! A whole family he forgot he had! Isn't that exciting and good and why do they look at him funny???

On the other hand, when he first sees them again. He does in fact cry, quite a bit, and tries to reason with himself that it's Matthew crying and not him, but then again maybe it is him because he simply doesn't know what else to do

There's just a lot of tears from all five of them in the first little while

His older sister is soooo protective over him. That's her little baby brother and now he's back after she'd been certain he was dead and she really takes him under her wing

(It's probably her who shows him how to make her favourite recipes)

Younger sister was fresh out of high school when he first disappeared and feels like he's missed out on a good chunk of her life so she throws herself into trying to fill in the gaps for him

Overall I think she'd handle everything the best, it's still confusing and hard but she manages to keep up her spirits by showing him all the cool stuff he's forgotten about in the world, they go on a lot of little adventures together

He struggles with not being able to talk about The House though. He knows it's important that he keep up the pretense that he'd been kidnapped and has amnesia etc. etc., but he wants to tell his family about The House. He wants them to see what he saw and loved for so long even if it turned out to be terrible, and it's so hard

Tries out a few different names. His family just calls him Matthew and he's okay with that, he's not really sure what else to call himself for now but would kind of like something different

Raphael is the highest recipient of this. Almost every time he sees her he's got a new name that he shyly asks if she can call him just to see how it sounds

She is very patient with this, but also sometimes forgets which name he's decided on for the week

Generally he latches onto her very hard and politely but firmly insists they stay friends

Obviously she's quite a busy person, but she makes time to see him and check on how he's doing whenever she can

They also go on adventures (as he calls them)

She takes him to the coasts, and he spends hours wandering the most desolate seeming beaches, taking detailed notes on how they differ from each other, and trying to feed the birds

Is delighted when a seagull steals his sandwich one day

Is very very open about how much he loves Raphael, and the first time he says that to her she's surprised and alarmed to say the least

for completely arbitrary reasons I hc her as being a) a lesbian and b)very much not looking for a relationship. So at first this worries her.

...But it soon becomes clear that he loves a lot of things and people. He loves his family and the birds and the buildings and the crossing guard and the buses and the trees -- and on top of that the thought of romance specifically isn't something he ever fully considers or understand

An ace king, basically

Anyway, they're besties

Dreams about The House frequently, and often so vividly he wakes up thinking he's still there

He wouldn't call them nightmares, but they aren't always nice either

Tries to draw it from memory but can never quite capture it right

Loves birdwatching

And collecting shells

His sister convinces him to get his ears pierced after a while - initially he's skeptical but then remembers this means he has all the more options for decorating himself with odd things he finds and that makes him happy

In general his clothing style gets a little more mainstream over time, but never goes back to what you'd call exactly normal

Knits

Gives people little things he makes or finds, even just strangers he sees frequently or look like they need a friend

Related: is still a bit shy around large groups, but will talk to anyone who looks lonely or lost, even if he has no idea who they are

Anyway I'm having major feelings about this book and am so obsessed with the main character's entire vibe, screaming crying and throwing up etc. etc. so here's my love letter to the implications of the book's ending hope you like it

#piranesi #books #literature #stuff i've read #headcanons #fr though what the fuck am i supposed to call this guy #calling him piranesi kind of feels like calling theon greyjoy reek yk #like yes he answers to that name but seeing as he's only called that by #a creepy professor who kidnapped him and trapped him in an eldritch horror pocket dimension for six years #it just doesn't feel appropriate #but he doesn't identify with the name matthew anymore so??? #like he says at the end of the book he doesn't really see himself as either #i'm a little hung up on this bit #anyway obsessed with this book etc etc