#IF hater didn't have the van before he met peepers tho

[ultravioart]

fan theories, crew member teases and common aus aside, how to you suppose peepers and hater met? ive heard that it was supposed to be huge in terms of their backstory

In canon? iirc they met as teenagers in high scool. I personally like to image they met in first year of college on the cusp of adulthood.

It would allow for more independence/freedom as college students than if they were highschoolers, and would explain how they were able to live in a van on an endless road trip. Then again, WoY is very old school in some respects, so maybe they really did run away together as teens. But, I like to think it was college, or at least Peepers was already in college. Maybe Peepers being so smart, he had dual enrollment in high school? idk

Since it was supposed to be a huge lore drop for backstory, I imagine Hater met Peepers on the watchdog home planet, since that's one way of explaining Peepers' backstory pretty easily. If not on the watchdog home world, it would be at some space academy or something lol.

Either way, I like to think Peepers saw Hater for the ultimate powerhouse he was, day one. Lord Hater fit perfectly into Peepers' galactic conquest plans as the ideal front man. And... Hater didn't make fun of him like others did. In fact, they bullied people... together (insert heart emojis). Peeps was absolutely floored by Hater at first sight, of course, but Peepers wasn't completely gone for Hater just yet. It would take a few years of evil villain routine and getting to know Hater more for Peepers to REALLY fall for him. Being his biggest fan was one thing, but romance was out of the question entirely: he had an evil job to do! And Hater was such a pain sometimes... immature... stubborn... gross... cruel... strong... big... intimidating... powerful... handsome.... Over the years, Peepers eventually realizes that his tool to success was more than an amazing tool... realizing Hater was his everything and that he truly loved the big lug terrified Peepers inside, but he was in too deep to turn back now! <3 gg Love wins in the end, evil be damned lol

On the other hand, I think when the two first met, young Hater was drifting around from planet to planet until he stumbled to that school. Maybe it was just the usual road tripping stop, or maybe Hater was taken in by nice locals and placed in school. We know his backstory suggested he was quite academically skilled, so I imagine school might have had a homey feeling for Hater. Something about academia felt right within his vague memories of his past astronaut life. If it was a college, that would make sense, libraries were probably a great way for Hater to stay warm on chilly nights, too. If it was a high school, I can imagine Hater being the 'cool kid' / 'bad boy' 17 year old playing guitar on the roof of his van and roasting students that walk by in the parking lot lmao. Probably hung around the school grounds because he didn't have a proper place to stay.

From how Peepers talked about the van, it seems like Hater had it before meeting Peepers? I think if Peepers ever asked about where Hater lived/family, Hater would have said he ran away from home. Peepers might have even been inspired to run away with Hater because of that lie. The idea of escaping and starting anew was very promising for Peepers. As previously stated in other posts, Peepers was probably the first person to ever see Hater for how great he truly was, and that will always make Peepers special to Hater. Best buds for life! But don't tell Peepers that, Peepers WILL cry in public. Also, cute eye-guy is cute, extremely loyal, and a great hype man for a sick rock band filled with watchdog army groupies. lol. I can imagine Peepers probably nudged Hater from a bully rockstar route to ultimate evildoer route as a 'better' way to 'be popular' across the galaxy. I honestly think Hater had a lot of rage, but idk if Hater was "blow up a moon, evil cackle, and terrorize millions as they chant your name" rage level like Peepers was. But Peepers can really sell a pitch, and the rest was history.

That, and a few months later a 'totally not a couple' marriage license they got in Vas Legas so they could get an initial loan for the skull ship. Partners in crime AND taxes! Hater has no recollection of this.

I'd also like to imagine, even with Hater having some blurry memories of his previous 'planet of the apes/astro-ape' life, his memories would come back over time. Hater knows a lot, hides a lot, and he is incredibly smart and highly educated. And yet, he lets Peepers be 'the smart guy', because either Hater is too embarrassed to be "a smart nerd" or Hater just wanted to give Peepers something to feel superior about (which is a nice thing to do, but Hater is NOT NICE. HE IS MEAN! BAD!!!! A VILLAIN!!! ...right?). And then Hater roasts Peepers for being a beep boop bop lame nerd bc Hater can't express his feelings correctly lol.

Fr Peepers' reaction to Hater knowing space physics junk will never not be funny to me. I imagine back in the day that realization would have been a mid-life crisis of "oh grob he's SMARTER THAN ME?? SINCE WHEN? WILL I BE REPLACED? HAS HE BEEN PATRONIZING ME THIS WHOLE TIME BECAUSE I AM THAT PATHETIC TO HIM???" but now bc Peepers is so smitten and full of love for Hater it's a full blast of "oh my grob he's actually applying himself for once, I'm so proud, he's the greatest thing to ever exist, I'm so proud!!!!!!! I love him so much, sobbing crying tears!!!!!" LMAO. tfw ur inferiority/superiority complex gets stomped out by your undying love for your sir.