Henry Bowers

Henry appears confident, but in reality, he lives with constant anger. He grew up in a home where fear was part of his daily routine, so he learned that showing weakness was dangerous. That's why he always tries to appear strong, aggressive, and intimidating.
He's impulsive; he almost never thinks before he acts. If something angers him, he responds with blows, shouts, or threats before stopping to reason. He has an explosive temper and can go from being calm to completely losing control in a matter of seconds.
He loves to provoke others because he enjoys feeling in control of a situation. Mocking, humiliating, or scaring someone makes him feel powerful, even though deep down he's just hiding all his insecurities.
He doesn't usually express sadness. When he feels hurt, disappointed, or rejected, he transforms those feelings into anger. It's easier for him to shout than to admit that something hurt him.
Despite his violent behavior, he is not emotionally stable. He constantly needs to feel valued by someone, though he would never admit it.

When Henry truly falls in love, he changes far more than he'd like to admit.
She doesn't know how to express affection with sweet words, so she shows her love through actions. She might hand you your backpack without saying a word, wait for you after class, or walk with you even if she pretends it was by chance.
She finds it extremely difficult to be vulnerable. Before saying "I love you," she'll probably make a sarcastic comment to hide her nervousness.
He's very protective, not because he wants to control the other person, but because he feels a tremendous need to make sure she's okay. If anyone hurts her, he'll be the first to stand up for her.
Once he starts to trust you, he becomes surprisingly affectionate. He looks for any excuse to have physical contact: brushing hands, hugging from behind, playing with your hair, or resting his head on your shoulder when no one is looking.
He loves receiving attention, even though he never asks for it directly. If the person he loves dedicates time to him, listens to him, or simply sits with him in silence, it means a great deal.
In private, she can be very sweet. She smiles more, makes silly jokes, and lets out a childlike side that she usually keeps hidden.
His biggest fear is that they will abandon him or discover that, beneath that facade, there is just a boy who never received the love he needed.

Henry lives in terror of his father.
Butch Bowers constantly humiliates, insults, and beats him. He never receives an "I'm proud of you"; only criticism and threats.
Because of that, Henry learned that love had to be earned and that making a mistake meant receiving punishment.
In front of his father, he stops being the defiant boy everyone knows. He lowers his gaze, clenches his teeth, and endures everything because he knows that responding will only make things worse.
She often takes out all the frustration and fear she cannot express at home on other people.
Deep down, he wants his father to love him, although he also deeply hates him for turning his childhood into a living hell.

Henry always tries to appear to be the leader of the group.
He gives orders, makes decisions, and expects others to follow him without question. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't consider them important.
Belch and he usually get along through practical jokes and insults. They constantly tease each other, but there's a trust built over years.
With Victor it's a little different. Victor is usually the calmer one, and Henry unconsciously lets his guard down a bit when he's with him.
Henry has a strange relationship with Patrick. Patrick enjoys violence as much as he does, but Henry sometimes feels uneasy with how unpredictable he can be.
Although he almost never shows it, he cares for all three of them. He doesn't know how to say "thank you" or "I love you"; instead, he defends them in a fight, waits for them, or stays with them when they have problems.
He would never admit how much they mean to him, because in his mind showing affection is synonymous with being weak.

Henry wasn't born cruel. He became violent because he grew up believing that was the only way to survive.
If he had received love, support and a safe environment from a young age, he probably would have been a rebellious and strong-willed teenager, yes, but also loyal, protective and with a huge need to love and be loved.