[elliebrew]

Arms up is like fake cringing, saying 'don't hit me', or 'you're bullying me' after having been extremely provocative, aggressive, or even physical with the actual 'victim'.

It's deflective - often done to disarm, to inhibit and to provoke even more whilst faking being in 'sub' mode.

It's rather common and ordinary, nasty fourteen year old behaviour. Bear seems stuck in some nasty dysfunctional pubescent timewarp.