[Rinse]

[nospaces]

TAWNY M. VOKES

27YRS OLD - THERAPIST - SECTOR - LIBRA - BISEXUAL - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): October 9th (Libra) [break]
Alignment: Neutral Good[break]
Hobbies: Painting, sketching, reading, scrapbooking, people watching, binge-watching TV shows & marathoning movies, photography[break]
Celebrity Crushes: Ewan McGregor (think Moulin Rouge era), Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zooey Deschanel, Paul Dano[break]
Childhood Dream Job: Princess, FBI Agent, Guidance Counselor[break]
Current Goals/Dreams: Quit therapy and look for jobs in schools

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: Nope. Tawny's never, ever smoked a cigarette. Not even as a teen! She simply isn't interested and has never seen the appeal. She doesn't have a problem with smokers, though, even if she isn't fond of the smell. Would not, under any circumstances, let someone smoke in her home or her car.[break][break]

Drinks?: Yes. It's mostly social. She's a terrible lightweight and has issues with pacing herself appropriately. Is usually the first one to fall out of her chair and make a fool of herself. Prefers sipping fruity mixed drinks to straight-up shots but will definitely throw them back if that's the kind of night it is.[break][break]

Drugs?: No. She smoked weed with Matty a couple of times in college but wasn't a huge fan (it escalated what was a muted anxiety to a full-blown social paranoia that Matty was just the type of person to exacerbate exponentially).[break][break]

Violence?: No please, Tawny is baby.[break][break]

Casual Sex?: Tawny is known to occasionally use people, physically, for comfort. When she is particularly low and lonely. To soothe and distract from that vacancy within her. In these moments she can be very adamant about one-night stands being one night-stands and can be quite closed-off/cold emotionally toward the other person's feelings. She has also had instances where she's been unfaithful and sought another's arms just to sabotage a relationship. It's a weird place for her where she knows what she's doing as she does it but can't stop herself. She's no angel by any means. Not averse to stringless hook-ups and bold flirtations.

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Mustard yellow and burgundy/maroon[break]
Animal: Cat[break]
Food: A well-cooked salmon, Poptarts[break]
Dessert: Tarts and pastries[break]
Candy: Chocolate, especially hazelnut and/or mocha flavored (never any with fruit fillings)[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Coffee, hot/cold tea, hot chocolate, water[break]
Alcohol: White rum and daiquiris, fruity (bitch) beers[break]
TV Show: The Golden Girls, New Girl, Parks & Recreation[break]
Movie: Moulin Rouge, The Princess Bride — loves Hallmark movies and older rom-coms like Say Anything, Pretty In Pink, 10 Things I Hate About You, etc[break]
Musician: Wild Ones, TENDER, Wet

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Purple[break]
Animal: Isn't a fan of dogs, especially bigger ones[break]
Food: Anything heavy and greasy (she's kind of a food snob)[break]
Dessert: Cheesecake[break]
Candy: Anything sour[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Diet soda (aspartame)[break]
Alcohol: Tequila because it's dangerous (she gets too loud, too embarrassing, too handsy, all too fast)[break]
TV Show: Shows that are too heavy & depressing[break]
Movie: Titanic, any western movie (her dad was a big John Wayne fan)[break]
Music: Anything too heavy, country

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Bisexual[break][break]

Attracted To: Casualness, lack of expectation, pretty faces, curly and dark hair, good grooming, eye contact, brown eyes, a bit of intrigue, respecting her boundaries, small romantic gestures (like ridiculous movie-type shit: hand-picked flowers, boombox serenades, CD mixes/playlists, handwritten letters, etc — though she's bound to adore them at first, in another mood or further down the line, she may resent them), teasing, three-quarter sleeves, woody/earthy scents, independence, a reciprocated coldness when she's being cold and unreachable, good night texts, pretty hands[break][break]

Turned Off By: Clinginess, trying very hard to impress her, being put on a pedestal, neediness, being "taken care of", coddled, or fussed over, large or public romantic gestures, "Daddy", forward behavior after she's made it clear she's not interested, prying, facial hair (typically), jerkiness toward others (weirdly, she's A-OK with jerkiness aimed at her), moving too quickly (she's quick to hop in bed but things like staying over, meeting families, saying 'I love you', moving in, are all suggestions that can shut her down), needling when she's expressed her desire to be left alone, people who are somehow never angry with her (too understanding/forgiving)

TATTOOS, SCARS, & PIERCINGS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Tattoos: None! She would like to get one, though. She just has trouble deciding (and also may be a little afraid of the pain). Maybe a small cat somewhere to test the waters? Or a ferret? [break][break]

Scars: She's lived a fairly sheltered life and has nothing major to note. There is the faintest line under her bottom lip, hardly even noticeable, from when she busted off a dance stage when she was eight years old. And that's about it. [break][break]

Piercings: Two holes in each earlobe.

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]Tawny is moderately active on social media. She has a Facebook profile but hasn't actively used it in 4+ years. All of her uploaded pictures are very old, mostly from high school/college; outings with friends, study dates, nature walks, maybe some artwork, etc. Her Facebook wall would mostly be 'Happy Birthday' messages from people every year without reactions or replies. There may be more recent "Tagged" pictures, uploaded by friends; club nights, dinner dates, and that ilk. She also has an Instagram but she only uploads an image every blue moon; just pops up with a random post before going quiet for another five months or so. Usually, it's snippets of artwork, pretty scenic things, her pets, or candids of her friends. She has a Snapchat but is the type of person to never reply to anything (lmao). She's got like a page and a half of unopened chats. But every once in a while she'll post to her story, usually her ferrets being loons or a picture of her TV with some caption about what she's watching.

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• Tawny did dance/gymnastics and played volleyball growing up.

[break]

• Makes herself go to the gym twice a week in the evenings.

[break]

• Her nieces and nephews adore her. Probably because she is a lot younger than their parents and because she's kinda the 'cool aunt'. She takes them out when Cooper and Elise need a break or a date night. Lets them get away with a lot of things (and also occasionally swears in their presence, don't tell Elise). The youngest girls always beg her to do their hair. The eldest always gossips about boys and her college drama and Tawny is here for that tea.

[break]

• Makes friendship bracelets when she is really drunk.

[break]

• Cooper and his family live in their childhood home. Visiting them is huge weird feels for her. It's always strange, especially around Christmas, to witness the house full of life, love, laughter, and so many people, when it was always just her and her father there growing up. Their eldest daughter has Tawny's childhood room.

[break]

• Matty dragged her to one of his D&D games in college. She was a human druid and had a terrible time. 0/10 would not recommend. Just stares at him when he brings up D&D.

[break]

• Her longest, actual relationship lasted just a couple weeks short of one year. Her partner getting excited about their anniversary definitely forced the snap.

[break]

• Could watch Moulin Rouge or RENT ten times a day and bawl every time.

[break]

• Begged her father for a pet rabbit as a little girl. Never got one.

[break]

• Placed 2nd in her first-grade spelling bee (she couldn't spell spaghetti).

[break]

• Cut her own bangs throughout the entirety of her freshman year of college.

[break]

• She's afraid of dementia or getting old and not being able to differentiate between what memories are hers and what memories belong to others.

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans: People are people. Complicated. The only opinion that Tawny reserves "special" for humans is that she doesn't expect them to easily accept the existence of Gifted. She was coached at a young, impressionable age to believe that revealing the existence of "super-powered" individuals would lead to bloodshed and mass witch-hunts.[break][break]

Gifted: The same as humans, just... with abilities. She doesn't hold them any higher or lower than Ungifted individuals. She does believe they need to be careful with their powers, however, and wouldn't be super approving of a Gifted individual who is open and reckless with their abilities.[break][break]

Hunters: Tawny is Gifted so, obviously, she fears them. While her ability is, fortunately, unseen and not obvious, she has observed a great number of Hunter-related horrors through her work with the Sector. Through the eyes of others who have suffered by them or been a witness to their brutality.[break][break]

Blackstorm: With Blackstorm directly opposing the Sector, Tawny can't help but think of them as reckless renegades. Unorganized, chaotic, and perhaps not prepared to handle the fall-out that will inevitably come with revealing the existence of Gifted-kind. She's afraid that Blackstorm offers a banner for those Gifted with less-than-good intentions to rally behind.[break][break]

Sector: Tawny works for them! In some way, she always wanted to work for them because of the guidance counselor who guided her through discovering her own gift. She was Sector-involved and little Tawny wanted to emulate her in every way. But beyond that, Tawny does believe in their general mission and thinks of what they do as a way to protect Gifted-kind.

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

MEMORY MANIPULATION

[attr="class","rt_span"]Through skin-to-skin contact, Tawny can access the memories of others. She can see these vivid snippets through the senses of the other person as if Tawny herself had experienced them. She can also manipulate and reshape these memories, though usually not in any complex or exhaustive manner. With subtle effort, she can distort faces and/or voices with generic versions of themselves, tweak minor details, change a few choice words, etc. But the effort and time required to actually reconstruct a memory, or even build a whole new memory from scratch, would be much more notable.And although she is mostly reluctant to, Tawny can also "erase" memories entirely. It's a difficult process that requires a lot of energy and concentration from her. One of the reasons she can be reluctant to do this is that it is usually something terrible that someone wants to forget. An assault, a traumatizing accident, or witnessing something disturbing and awful. If Tawny succumbs and frees someone from that memory, it then becomes something she can never un-see. It becomes something she then has to carry around. Another reason she's reluctant to pick through someone's memories in such a way is because she once accidentally erased decades of her father's memory and left him confused and reeling.

HOW IT WORKS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Accessing memories requires skin-to-skin contact and is automatic. Tawny can not "turn off" her Gift. Any touch, if she isn't expecting it, can throw her into someone's past. Typically she's tossed into the stream of their memories at random but is very practiced at "sifting" through them if she's looking for something specific.[break][break]

Sometimes a person's emotions can affect what memories she initially sees. If they're thinking very strongly about a memory in particular she can find it easier.[break][break]

Her own concentration/state of mind has an effect on how easily she can manipulate and guide herself through the waters. If she's calm and focused, it's easy. If she's panicked, it's more difficult and she can be overrun. The other person's state of mind, too, has some effect. If they're placid (or sleeping), the "waters" make for easy treading. But if they're upset, raging, or just very emotional, the waters can be choppy and powerful.

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Tawny is definitely a sweater-weather kind of girl, preferring cardigans and layers above anything else. Fall is definitely her jam. Even in the summertime she tends to wear some sort of flowy long-sleeve, occasionally tying it around her waist if it is just too unbearably hot. She usually opts for neutral colors and plain or simple patterns. But she is certainly capable of dressing down if she's comfortable or glamming up for a night out. She will wear a skirt or a dress if she wants to look pretty for a day, but usually, it's jeans and beat-up sneakers, with a shirt just a little too big so she can ball her fists in it. She likes plain, simple jewelry like stud earrings and silver chains with or without small pendants/lockets. [break][break]

Below is a selection of clothing, but more can be found on her pinterest board.[break][break]

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

APARTMENT

[attr="class","rt_span"]Tawny lives on the second floor of a brick apartment building. The building itself is older, in much need of some TLC, but the renting price is fair for what it is (even if the landlord doesn't care enough about his tenants). Any maintenance issue is slow to resolve and the maintenance man, brother to the landlord, is a slipshod and very mean creature. Tawny's convinced he did something to her cat when entering her apartment while she wasn't home. Tawny's neighbors on her floor all have children, except for the batty woman across from her, and the second-floor landing of the apartment building is littered with children's toys.[break][break]

The front door opens onto the living room. In the center of the room, backed against the left wall, there is an L-shaped, grey/brown couch with decorative, colorful throw pillows and a small coffee table in front of it. On the opposite wall, to the right of a small alcove and directly in front of the front door, there is a waist-high entertainment center with a flat-screen mounted above it. The entertainment center has windows and opens, its cabinet overflowing with books (and a couple of DVDs). A small and square wooden dining table with two chairs is pushed against the half-wall that separates the living area from the kitchen. Located along the same wall as the front door, there is a pretty impressive cat tree in the corner and a bookshelf, similarly overflowing/stuffed. Behind the front door when it opens, Tawny has mounted a full-length mirror so she can check herself right before leaving. She's fashioned her own doorstop to prevent the mirror from getting broken. Since the only natural light is provided from the den area of her apartment, Tawny has many lamps and string lights hung up throughout her living room to provide a soft, warm glow to her home. [break][break]There's absolutely no empty wall space — everywhere you look is a crowded assortment of pictures and artwork (none her own), as well as plenty of ledges to provide her cat vertical space to climb and lounge upon. The den area, obviously meant to serve as a dining room, is the space she utilizes for painting, since the light is so good in there during the day and it opens out onto the balcony. There are a great number of canvases stacked against one another against every wall of the den, as well as stashed throughout the living room, most (if not all) of them unfinished. [break][break]

[break]

PETS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Myrtle: Estimated to be between six and seven years old, female. Belonged to an elderly woman across the hall who died. Tawny took her in about three years ago when it was made clear the woman had no kin and the ill-tempered cat would be taken to the shelter. A very aloof and chill feline, not prone to violence (except with her eyes). Is usually only affectionate with Tawny. Will tolerate pets from others for only a very limited amount of time and skillfully dodge the touch of anyone she doesn't know. Stares judgmentally and is very vocal about her displeasure. Hates the maintenance man. Will warm up eventually but still doesn't like being held by most people. [break][break]

Lark & Finch: Ferrets, approximately 3 years old, both male. Tawny's brother originally got them as a Christmas present for his daughter, but the little girl grew quickly bored of them and didn't want to take care of them. Cooper asked Tawny to take them to a rescue but she brought them home instead. As with most ferrets, the pair are absolutely chaotic. Little terrorizers. Cause all sorts of predicaments. Have zero fear. Tawny keeps them in a large pen in the den when she isn't home and while sleeping, but otherwise, they are always out and free to do as they please. Lark is the darker and more troublesome of the two. [break][break]

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]Tawny drives a 2001 Subaru Impreza (Sport), red, affectionately named 'Oscar'. She bought it from a college friend almost six years ago and it has over 200k miles on it. The interior is a controlled mess with clothes, towels, and scattered supplies in the trunk (she doesn't go to the beach as much as she did at one time but she's still prepared). The front seats are clean and clear most of the time, though. The backseat shows evidence of her carting around her nieces and nephews occasionally — forgotten toys from McDonald's happy meals, a deck of NASA-themed playing cards, a shoe that doesn't fit anyone anymore, etc. The radio doesn't work and there is no CD player but she has one of those AUX-to-cassette adapters that she uses to plug her phone in. The right, rear fender has a decent cave-in from when it was hit in her apartment building's parking lot. [break][break]

Honestly, the car is on its last legs in all ways. It's only a matter of time until she finally has to break down and find a new one. [break][break]

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]More can be found on her pinterest board. [break][break]

[break]

DANE M. WAYLAND

28YRS OLD - GUILD MEMBER - HUNTER - SAGITTARIUS - HETEROSEXUAL - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): November 27th (Sagittarius) [break]
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral/Neutral Evil[break]
Hobbies: Hunting, stalking, physical activities such as rock-climbing and hiking, traveling, sketching (mostly animal anatomy), couples dancing (think Prom Night in Grease or Pulp Fiction; that kinda fun shit), social drinking, getting in fights[break]
Celebrity Crushes: Anna Kendrick, Mila Kunis[break]
Childhood Dream Job: Circus Acrobat[break]
Current Goals/Dreams: None. Unfortunately, he's an aimless guy who has never entertained the possibility of having his own ambitions and dreams. Rarely thinks of very much beyond his next lay or drink.

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: Smoked cigarettes as a teenager but not so much anymore. Isn't likely to buy any for himself unless it's been a particularly bad night. May ask to bum a drag from someone else every now and again and may smoke one if he finds a pack on a person he's murdered (just cause that's how it goes). Has been smoking a lot more recently. [break][break]

Drinks?: All the time, yes. Dane is probably drunk 40% of the time and thinking about getting drunk another 40% of the time. He'd prefer to get slowly tanked over a million beers but isn't picky. Will sometimes choose quick and sloppy over a more controlled, steady decline when the mood strikes. Usually can't pass up wine (red) or vodka when it's offered.[break][break]

Drugs?: Not a fan of any hard stuff. Could probably be talked into taking some hallucinogens if the opportunity presented itself. Did some lighter stuff when he was younger but it was never truly alarming. His brother was briefly hooked on opioids, sometimes worse, and Dane hated seeing that. He usually wants nothing to do with addicts.[break][break]

Violence?: Yeah, no problem[break][break]

Casual Sex?: Sex is the simplest thing in the world to him. It has never meant anything more to him than what it is. Some people are better at it than others but that's about as special as it gets in his eyes. It does not have to be complicated at all. It does not have to mean anything. He will not make it weird. Generally, he is all for a one-night stand. Especially if he needs a place to crash or just wants the comfort of a woman's arms after a long day/week. He's also all about the French Exit in the morning, usually slipping away before the other person wakes. Most of the time it's just a "one and done" sort of deal but Dane isn't completely above seeing someone again if things went well. And he isn't totally averse to putting in the effort for something more steady and sustainable either, though he will be very upfront and honest about not desiring any sort of exclusivity.

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Red[break]
Animal: Dogs, wolves, and rats[break]
Food: Italian (does not include pizza)[break]
Dessert: Fruity cobblers[break]
Candy: Suckers/lollipops[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Iced tea (unsweet)[break]
Alcohol: Vodka, red wine[break]
TV Show: Dane doesn't really watch TV unless "grounded" with absolutely nothing else to do. But he likes informative nature documentaries, "real life" cop shows, and irreverent comedy sitcoms. Nothing that requires a whole lot of dedication and/or investment.[break]
Movie: Reservoir Dogs, Lord of the Rings, John Tucker Must Die[break]
Musician: Rufus Wainwright, Robbie Williams

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Pink [break]
Animal: Most equine-types (horses, goats, camels, etc.)[break]
Food: Pizza (he won't not eat it but... ugh)[break]
Dessert: Cake[break]
Candy: Any and all chocolates[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Sweet tea, all sodas[break]
Alcohol: Isn't picky, will drink anything, but won't choose dark liquors (they give him grosser hangovers)[break]
TV Show: Reality TV shows (though he may watch them to make fun of them and accidentally get a little unironically invested)[break]
Movie: Hachi (because fuck you, Dino, for ever making him watch it) [break]
Music: Doesn't really hate anything to be honest. His own music taste is very narrow but he's tolerant of most everything.

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Tragically straight [break][break]

Attracted To: Dangerous women, aggression (a little or a lot, he isn't picky), someone who can undoubtedly kick his ass, dark hair (preferably long), well-fitted clothes, hard-to-get types, mouthy, a little bit of crazy is just fine, someone who knows they're sexy, a willingness to rough him up a bit and a shared desire not to know anything about one another, demanding, someone not afraid to make him beg and adore[break][break]

Turned Off By: First of all, let's be honest here — there isn't a whole lot that's an absolute deal-breaker for Dane. He's definitely one for settling and isn't really that picky when it comes down to it. Nonetheless — too much makeup, fake boobs, short hair, ridiculous heels, when a woman is overly-fussy about their appearance (what's the point if you don't want to mess up your hair?), playing too hard to get when they're not pretty enough to warrant it, lack of passion/boring/laziness, not knowing what they want, inexperience, shyness

TATTOOS & SCARS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Age 8

• Tattoo: The head of a maned wolf (mostly outline), dime-sized, centered on his right shoulder blade

• Notable Scars: Scattered, faint scratches on forearms and the tops of his hands from a disgruntled raccoon; a discolored patch of skin above his right ankle from when he and Dino challenged one another to see who could rub an eraser on their skin, in the same spot, for the longest (Dane won)

[break]

Age 17

• Tattoo: Maned wolf (mostly outline), palm-sized, the head now has a body with long, gangly legs

• Additional Scars: A short, vertical line on his forehead and two long lines that stretch from the top of his skull to the base (surgical scars, all neat and clean, the ones on his skull can only be seen if you part his hair); three ugly gouges on his chest (hawk); a pattern of dog teeth on his inner left forearm (Snowcone); other various, small lines (mostly from botched blade fights) concentrated largely on both outer arms; tooth-wound above his right knee

[break]

Age 25

• Tattoo: Maned wolf, stretched across both shoulder blades and dipped into the center of his back, winds down his right arm to the middle of his bicep; solid with shading now instead of simple linework

• Additional Scars: An ugly, jagged, and thick horizontal line that stretches across both shoulder blades; a similar, ugly thing across his abdomen; various raised welts on his ribs, arms, and legs, some less severe than others; surgical scars across his right collarbone; a clip in his right ear from being grazed by a bullet; large, cat-like claw marks down the back of his right thigh from a summon-gone-wrong; spatterings of thick welts across his lower back from being peppered by birdshot; a patch of twisted skin (in the vague shape of a hand/fingers) burned into his shin, above his right ankle; a straight line on the underside of his right jaw (chin to hinge), usually only visible if he tips his head

[break]

Age 27

• Tattoo: Maned wolf, covers the entirety of his upper and center back, dipping closer now to his hips, rolls over his shoulders and ends at the tips of his collarbones, winds down to his elbow, sleeving his entire upper right arm and right shoulder

• Additional Scars: Entry and exit scar from a bullet on his left side, just above his left hip (front and back); thick line across the back of his left calf from broken glass; long, straight gash below his ribs (right side); deep line in his right palm from where he held/caught a knife by the blade; short, thick line on the right side of his neck

[break]

Recently Healed

• Bullet wound in left bicep; long, gruesome wound down right arm from a blade torn nearly from the middle of his bicep to his elbow; thick, deep scar on right shoulder where a machete cleaved through and re-snapped his collarbone; straight, matching welts across the backs of his thighs

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]Dane isn't active on social media but has a couple of dating app profiles with different names. Most of them have pictures of him looking perfectly innocent and unassuming, usually with a cute puppy/dog. He hardly ever checks these apps and only opens them up if he's struck out at the bar/club and wants to lick his wounds by chatting or scrolling pics. Always uses an alias (usually "Darren", sometimes "Dave").

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• Was briefly homophobic as a child because of his father.

[break]

• The majority of his teeth are fake/dental implants/fixed bridgework and he has a metal plate in his skull. These are all the results of rolling a car when he was a teen.

[break]

• Has trouble getting to sleep. Usually doesn't really attempt to until he's reached that point of exhaustion where he's knocked out cold within two seconds of his face hitting the pillow. Sleeps much better in a woman's bed (which is partially why he's so keen to sleep around). Unless he's sleeping with someone, he'll hardly ever use a bed but prefers couches. When he does crash, he crashes hard and will hardly wake for anything.

[break]

• Huge Mama's boy.

[break]

• Both Dane and Dino/Ashley know Russian. Dane has an excellent ear for it and is a mostly-fluent speaker but he struggles when it comes to reading/writing it. Ashley, on the other hand, can read/write the language very well but he wouldn't be able to keep up quick enough to hold a natural conversation. Would have to ask someone to speak to him slowly in order to understand.

[break]

• Both Wayland brothers have terrible handwriting. Dane's is marginally better than Dino/Ashley's. Ashley is left-handed and Dane is ambidextrous!

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans & Gifted: Honestly? Dane's opinion doesn't deviate much between the two. Despite being raised in a hunting syndicate, he doesn't personally think of Gifted as being any better or worse than Ungifted. They're just humans with abilities. More fun to fight but that's about it. Of course, it's his life's work to be pointed like a loaded gun at Gifted individuals and he will be unapologetically brutal with them. But humans, too, can find themselves earning his violence in much the same way. He's not picky. He isn't a Hunter because of some dogma, he's a Hunter because he always had to be (and because he enjoys it). There's been plenty of times he has chosen not to pursue a Gifted individual when he didn't have express orders to. And plenty of other times he's acted against express orders.[break][break]

Hunters: There's undoubtedly a bit of camaraderie and kinship since Dane himself is a Hunter. But just like with anyone else, really, Dane can get along with them or hate them. It's refreshing to know they're a person he can have a bit of murder-y fun with. But he can find them super annoying if they're territorial, hostile toward him since he's Gifted himself, or if they're uptight, preachy, or unwilling to indulge him.[break][break]

Blackstorm & The Sector: He really feels the same about both organizations. They're self-important and often get in the way. Usually annoying, pushy, and always with a whole lot of boring 'blah blah blah' to dump on anyone who will listen.[break][break]

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

BEAST SUMMONING

[attr="class","rt_span"]Dane can summon beasts to his aide, seemingly from thin air. The more familiar he is with the attempted animal, the stronger its form, so he only has a handful of types that he's focused on perfecting and that can be considered competent. Straying from these few, well-practiced forms often result in wobbly, half-formed and weak summons. The more he practices a particular beast, too, the more "loyal" it could be considered — the easier it is to control, take commands, etc. Newer beasts often still require a bit of teaching and discipline. The summons are wholly corporeal — they can wound and be themselves wounded. Once they've taken too much damage they vanish and can not be called upon again until given time to "heal". Dane tends to only summon one beast at a time, as their strength is contributed evenly between the number of them active at one time; two summoned beasts will only be half as strong as a single summoned beast.

HOW IT WORKS

[attr="class","rt_span"]The integrity of a summon is tied directly to how well, functional, and complete its actual construction is. Dane figured this out very young and realized that the success of his creations required extensive knowledge of how an animal actually worked. A bird could not fly with dense bones. A wolf could not fight without lungs. A venomous snake was venomous, but only if Dane included all the delicate parts and organs that made it so. Thus began a lifelong interest/dedicated study of animal anatomy and the like. [break][break]

Creating requires the use of his hands. It's always easier and faster if he uses both but one will work. If his hands are too badly injured, he will be unable to summon. [break][break]

His summons are actually individuals. They learn and maintain memory. Using Snowcone as an example, she started out much like a stupid puppy; chaotic and undisciplined. Had to be taught and "grow" in her own way. There is only one Snowcone. Dane can summon multiple dogs at a time but he can not summon multiple Snowcones. [break][break]

All of Dane's most successful creations are... more like clones than anything else. They existed as living animals at one time. The "original" Snowcone was once a puppy of a friend he'd had as a child. While he can create something straight out of his imagination, these summons are usually weak and flimsy; ungrounded and weaker in a way that creations based off an original simply aren't. The more he sticks to a creation's "original" form the more sturdy and durable they are. Deviating from their stated anatomy always results in a loss of fortitude and makes them more chaotic and less keen to obey. He once made Snowcone into something six foot tall with two heads and she immediately mauled him.

DANE'S SUMMONS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Excellent, Well-Practiced: Canines, birds, snakes, and rodents — these are Dane's forte. Unless he is in a hurry or being careless, an unassuming person wouldn't even be able to tell that these animals aren't regular beasts. They're the strongest, most reliable of his catalog and his favorites. He loves dogs, big birds of prey, and has a particular soft spot for rats. [break][break]

Not Quite Right, Almost There: Felines and bears — Dane likes summoning cats. Both housecats and big, scary cats like lions and panthers. And while they look good and are remarkably sturdy and reliable, there is something that he just can't quite get right about them. He's unable to emulate that fluid, graceful "cat" part of them. He's too used to canines. As a result, his cats aren't always the most trustworthy or loyal. They can sometimes turn on him (or his allies) when used in fights. Bears are much the same way — they look... mostly like bears. But something's a little off. And they will maul everyone, him included. [break][break]

Needs Work, Unpracticed & Unwieldy: Most equine animals like horses, goats, and deer — look, he just fucking hates them, alright? He really wanted to make a horse when he was a teen and the damn thing almost caved in his chest. He gave it a few more tries but he's kind of shelved that whole side of the animal kingdom for now. They all look a little horrific, like nightmare fuel (and are similarly chaotic). [break][break]

Not Interested, Who Cares: Aquatic life, most bugs, mindless animals — Dane has never cared about fish, sharks, or really any sort of bug besides roaches. What's the point?

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Dane is mostly on the go (and has a penchant for ruining his clothes) so, a lot of the time, he will simply make do with whatever is on hand. But when time and situation allow, his attire tends to land in that gray area between casual and formal. He's surprisingly fashionable and hygienic for a man who seems hell-bent on ending every day in bloody tatters. Antonio is a fancy snob who impressed on his sons at a young age how to dress well. And Dane actually does like looking good (despite his proclivity for rolling around in dirty alleyways). [break][break]

He prefers solid colors, dark jeans or slacks, and is an absolute slut about his ankles. Common attire includes plain, solid-colored t-shirts, long-sleeve thermals, long-sleeve button-ups, and usually some jacket to conceal certain things that need concealing. Flat sneakers, lace-up boots, or loafers. His ensemble is typically dark but he'll opt for light colors and even white when he knows the night will be bloody and he wants to be an absolute loon about it. He cleans up nice (when he wants to). [break][break]

Below is a selection of clothing, but more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

APARTMENT

[attr="class","rt_span"]Dane finally caved and leased a place. Quite purposely, it's in the roughest, shittiest neighborhood Los Eurosia has on offer — most everyone locks and reinforces their doors and theft/crime is a lot higher than in other places. Dane finds this very suited to his needs. Not only can he take care of himself well enough and wishes someone would try something, but most people in the neighborhood are willing to turn and quickly walk the other way if some shit were to randomly pop off. [break][break]

The studio apartment is small and came mostly pre-furnished — its previous tenant, a man named Jacek, had stopped by, ransacked the place to gather a few belongings, and then seemingly dropped off the face of the planet. His landlord — an imaginative creature not unused to shady types who disappeared without a moment's notice — was quick to rent the place out from under him and Dane was more than happy to step in and lay claim to whatever was left behind. Pleased too, that the landlord seemed to care about little more than money when it came to the screening process. He threw out most of Jacek's things (taking great pleasure in doing so) and redecorated with both things he bought and stole from others (a lot of it comes from his neighbors, he's waiting for something to happen because of it lmao). He's kept a box full of Jacek's things that he found particularly interesting shoved under the bed. Just in case Jacek comes poking back around for whatever reason. [break][break]

The apartment is nothing special altogether. On the second floor. White brick walls and dark laminate flooring. A couple of couches. A bed (usually made and untouched — Dane most often sleeps on the couch). A dinky kitchenette that's just barely practical. Some cabinets and a coffee table that's typically crowded with beers and stacks of animal anatomy sketches/studies/notes. There's a huge dog bed and a cat tree, which might be confusing since a normal, unassuming person can clearly see the absence of any animals a lot of the time. Candles, lamps, stolen wall decorations, etc. [break][break]

To his landlord and his neighbors, Dane's name is "Darren". No one has been particularly friendly, nosy, or inviting, which is just perfect. [break][break]

PETS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Snowcone: Okay, so she's a summon and not an actual dog, but Dane still considers her his companion. He's been summoning her since he was about eight years old and she's grown into a fine canine since then, very obedient and in-tune to his commands and will. She's reliable, strong, and she really does bring him a lot of comfort when he's lonely. Watches over him and keeps him warm when he's too beaten up or drunk to make it home and passes out in some dark, dirty alley.[break][break]

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]Dane hasn't owned his own vehicle in years. Mostly because he's become so used to spending most of his days/nights quite drunk. Typically he would just steal a car whenever he needed one. But, recently, with being paid normally again (and being forced to sober up some), he's bought a superbike. Something speedy but not terribly flashy. He used to ride (and recklessly wreck) a lot of bikes in his younger years. WIP

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Below is a snippet, more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

[break]

GAVYN R. COLBURN

29YRS OLD - BARTENDER/ENTERTAINER - GIFTED - PISCES - PANSEXUAL - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): February 28th (Pisces) [break]
Alignment: Chaotic Good[break]
Hobbies: Music, theatre, surfing, high-adrenaline things like skydiving and parachuting, spelunking, camping, backpacking/hiking, kayaking, rafting, cliff-diving, ice-skating, scuba diving, snowboarding, thrifting[break]
Celebrity Crushes: Renee Zellweger, Adam Pascal, Rihanna[break]
Childhood Dream Job: Power Ranger, Archaeologist[break]
Current Goals/Dreams: Live as loud and hard as possible at every possible moment

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: No [break][break]

Drinks?: Drinks beer regularly. Isn't too big on hard liquor or taking shots. Would rather draw out getting drunk and taking it slow. Isn't opposed to getting very quickly smashed though, so long as it's all for fun. 100% not the type to get drunk if he's in his feelings or as a way to "cope" with something.[break][break]

Drugs?: Will smoke weed if he's not the one that has to buy/supply it. Will occasionally trip on mushrooms but it's rare and a very special-occasion thing, only with the right people. Anything else he wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.[break][break]

Violence?: Absolutely not. He's a huge coward and will not fight back. It's more about not wanting to hurt other people than fear of himself getting hurt.[break][break]

Casual Sex?: Sex isn't a big deal or very important to him. Even in relationships, he isn't likely to be the one to initiate unless it's something he knows will make his partner happy. There are many other things he'd rather do tbh. All that said, he has had a couple of one-night stands, almost always at the other person's insistence. If it's the only way they'd let him stick around basically. But it's not something he would seek out. It's just not his thing.

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Navy/dark blue and forest green[break]
Animal: Turtles, sharks, bright and colorful fish[break]
Food: A good old fashioned cheeseburger[break]
Dessert: Puddings, ice creams, and pie[break]
Candy: Mike & Ikes, chocolate-covered pretzels[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Milk (regular or chocolate), apple juice[break]
Alcohol: Prefers beer (specifically stouts and lagers) over liquor; will make an exception for Fireball[break]
TV Show: Cartoons like Regular Show and Adventure Time. Reality TV shows like Queer Eye, The Great British Bake Off, Say Yes to the Dress, Below Deck, etc. Thinks he would absolutely rock Naked and Afraid (but, realistically, he would immediately get dysentery and die)[break]
Movie: Legally Blonde, 27 Dresses, All About Eve, The World's End, Bridget Jone's Diary, Me Myself & Irene, Point Break[break]
Musician: TLC, Spice Girls, Rihanna, The Amazing Devil, blink-182

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Red[break]
Animal: Mosquitos[break]
Food: Raw carrots and leafy greens[break]
Dessert: None, they're all good (even carrot cake)[break]
Candy: Dark chocolate[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Orange juice[break]
Alcohol: Screwdrivers and vodka in general[break]
TV Show: Shows that make him think way too much (psychological thrillers, things with big twists, complicated build-ups, etc). He doesn't have the greatest attention span so if it's a show where he's going to be completely lost if he's distracted for two minutes, it's just not gonna work out.[break]
Movie: Jaws[break]
Music: Will listen to practically anything, even twangy country when he's in the mood

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Pansexual [break][break]

Attracted To: Although Gavyn is bound to gush over how pretty a person is, physicality isn't very important to him when it comes to relationships. He's not going to want to date or sleep with someone just because they're physically attractive. Having said this, he still "falls in love" a lot. He is attracted to people with good energy. People who are nice and able to have a laugh. Goofiness/wackiness, affectionate, able to say what they feel and tolerate all the gushy shit he has to say without making him feel dumb about it, creative types, people who are unapologetically themselves. Basically, he wants to be best friends. His ultimate kink is someone being nice to him (lmao).[break][break]

Turned Off By: Putting him down (though he can be heartbreakingly tolerant of it when in a relationship), dishonesty about their feelings, cruelty, closemindedness, ghosting

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]Gavyn is the most active of my characters on social media. He has an Instagram that he uploads to regularly and also a TikTok where he and his friends post stupid/funny skits and videos (shit like this). You can catch him in EVERYONE'S comments, hyping people up, telling people to slay, or straight up having full-blown conversations with people like it's a private text chain lmao. He uses bajillions of emojis in everything (the fire emoji is his fave). He also uploads videos of himself sitting cross-legged on his bed singing, playing guitar or his keyboard, etc. Shares a lot of memes everywhere. He also has a Snapchat and his story is always full of close-up shots of his friends making funny faces with little captions like 'someone come pick up their son he's wildin' and shit like that.

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• Gavyn and his siblings were home-schooled up until high school. High school was wild for him and he actually struggled a lot when it came to making friends and schoolwork. He was very scattered, very loud, and very annoying. Disliked by both his teachers and a lot of his peers. He did band (percussion) and drama though and was a shining star in those two departments (and those two departments only). Loved marching band but it is the only thing he misses about school. Has no surviving friendships from those days.

[break]

• He tried college and had a better time there but still dropped out because he hated the workload and could never make himself take it seriously. Has a couple of surviving friendships from those days.

[break]

• When he was eleven, he snuck out of the house with Aaron and ended up breaking his arm. Was too scared of his mother to admit this and hid the whole thing from her and lived with the broken arm for two days before she saw it. She was livid.

[break]

• Gavyn was beat-up one time by his sister's boyfriend when they were teenagers just because he didn't believe Gavyn's inability to feel pain. He fractured Gavyn's collarbone and Molly immediately dumped his ass. They then egged and TP'ed his house together. Gavyn walked by the next day and stopped to help when he saw it was only the boy's sweet mother doing all the cleaning.

[break]

• Gavyn is mildly superstitious. He was very superstitious when he was younger. Tucker and Buckley once figured out what site he was using to look up superstitions and made frequent edits to make Gavyn do silly things or get things from him.

[break]

• Gavyn has never cared for/about sex. I think he's borderline asexual but he is willing to partake if it's something his partner wants.

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans: Humans are all so different, complicated, and beautiful. If you're lucky enough, you'll find a handful of them that you're content with living this small, brief life out with! The whole world is full of people who create such beautiful and inspiring things to enjoy and appreciate. Life's so short, love who you are and love others! Be the best human you can be while you soak up your short time on this earth.[break][break]

Gifted: Only very recently learned of their existence. Has yet to form an opinion or really grasp the concept and what some people are capable of doing.[break][break]

Hunters: Knows nothing about them. Would be horrified.[break][break]

Blackstorm: That's a cool name for a band, you should write that down.[break][break]

Sector: Nope, no idea.

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

ANALGESIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]Gavyn can not feel pain. He is unaware that this is a Gift. He, and everyone else, have just believed it to be a rare medical condition that he's had since birth. He can still feel sensations, temperature, and pressure, just no pain. His gift has been the cause of many incidents, including holding his hand on a hot stove (unaware of the burn), working with a broken arm (insisting it "wasn't that bad, really"), ignoring overly-blistered feet after triple shifts, and mistaking other severe or grave injuries for something minor and dismissible. [break][break]

His analgesia can "bleed" onto others when he sings. The music that he plays — even when the tune itself is anything but soothing — has a way of easing hurts and numbing pains for anyone listening. Would not work on someone who is deaf. This mostly goes uncommented upon and Gavyn has accepted it as something not entirely out of the ordinary; chalking it up to his strength and magnetism as a musician/performer.

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Gavyn has an extremely varied wardrobe and can pull off a number of looks. Some days he looks like your stereotypical artsy hobo with a love for baggy clothes and thrift store sweaters. The next, a fratboy. Then the next, a selfie-loving gym rat. It all depends on his mood and how much effort he puts toward getting ready for the day. He can be colorful and wacky (as if trying very hard to look like a "Quirky Dad" stepped out of some 90's sitcom). But he can also be very neutral, casual, and "soft boy"; where one glance at him and his attire screams "yeah, that boy writes poems". He's a big fan of shorts (sometimes shorter than is entirely necessary) and is even known to sport a bold crop top every now and again. Most days he's not above just donning some smelly t-shirt from the floor and walking out the door. He's got a collection of wacky socks.[break][break]

Below is a selection of clothing, but more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

APARTMENT

[attr="class","rt_span"]Gavyn lives in a building that, at one time, was a University residence hall. The building was converted into apartments and flats about ten years ago when the University built a bigger, better campus elsewhere. He lives on the fourth floor in a four-bedroom suite with two of his friends. The bedrooms are small (as dorm rooms usually are) and so is the "common area" that serves as the living room. It's a good thing all three boys get along so well. Not to say they don't have their tiffs. [break][break]

On the ground floor, the building has very cool community amenities that served its college-going population at one time and were kept and maintained by the staff who bought the property — pools, workout rooms, a staffed cafeteria, and small libraries/study rooms, etc. Access to each room requires a tenant key fob.
[break][break]


[break][break]

Living Area & General Vibe: First things first, three dudes live here and it's obvious. The place is never exactly neat. The walls are a little bare. The two couches crammed into the living area look like they were probably nabbed from a garage sale. But it's cozy nonetheless and all three of them are always down to make blanket forts and aren't afraid to squeeze into the space all at once, laying half on-top one another and throwing popcorn as they watch TV, drink a beer, and have a laugh. [break][break]

[break][break]

Bedroom 3 (Game Room): This "extra" bedroom is used as a sort of second living room. It has a TV for when someone's just not vibing with whatever's happening in the living room. All the game systems and the "family computer" is located here as well. Erik spends a lot of time here, so it's actually kept somewhat tidy. Many a time Gavyn has passed out completely draped across the small loveseat and woken with a horrendous crink in his neck. [break][break]

[break][break]

Bedroom 4 (Gavyn): He'll have you know that he's very recently bought a bedframe and graduated from sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Adult moves ftw. It's a small room with little going on. On the wall, there are posters and guitars, as well as art that he's bought from his artist friends in support and flyers/advertisements from the local theatre's many productions. On the opposite wall, not pictured, there is a TV that sits on a dresser. Behind it is a large pride flag tacked to the wall. Some weights/dumbbells on the floor. A neat row of various sneakers, clogs, slippers, and boots. And a keyboard propped up beside the dresser that he'll often sit crisscross on his bed with. He'd like to paint the room a dark blue at some point but he's probably too forever-lazy to actually get to it. [break][break]

PETS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Beyoncé: Scotty's cat. He and an ex-girlfriend adopted her when she was just a little kitten. When the girlfriend cheated and Scotty moved out, they had an all-out custody war over her. Eventually, they settled the dispute by Scotty asking for literally nothing else and leaving their apartment with not a single thing except for the kitten, his important papers, wallet, and the clothes on his back. Beyoncé is an absolute loon. Zoomie hours are 24/7. Scotty babies and spoils her to the absolute ridiculous max. [break][break]

Marky Mark: Gavyn's dog. A pound rescue that was given to him by Aaron to try and mend Gavyn's broken heart after his dog, Mark Hoppus, was killed. He's a smart, chaotic little thing and stubborn, too. When Gavyn takes him out for walks, Marky Mark will refuse to walk for one second longer or sooner than he wants. As soon as he's satiated he will plant himself and demand to be carried back. If Gavyn tries to turn back before Marky Mark has decided he's done, he will similarly plant himself. Absolutely deathly afraid of Beyoncé. [break][break]

Astley: Erik's ball python. Often chilling in Erik's room, lounging across him contentedly while he plays games, reads, or writes. Gavyn thinks he's a cool little dude and is always fascinated when Erik brings him out to explore the living room. Erik has an Instagram account for the snake and it's actually surprisingly popular. [break][break]

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]Gavyn drives a 1993 Honda Pochette, aqua. It's so small that he makes it look like a clown car when he's driving. There are racks installed on the roof so he can haul around bicycles, kayaks, and the like. The vehicle was gifted to him by his parents when he went off to college (almost ten years ago!) and he's treated it very lovingly since. It's old and long past its life expectancy, but he is surprisingly very good with its upkeep and mechanical maintenance. The vehicle is treated kind of like an old, revered man by him and his roommates. With great, loving respect. Everyone calls it "the gentle blue beast" or "bro wagon". Also somewhat surprisingly, the interior is always very clean! There may be a few t-shirts or costume props in the floor of the backseat, but it's not overwhelming. He has a stupid amount of bumper stickers. [break][break]

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Below is a snippet, more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

[break]

ASHLEY P. WOLFE

30YRS OLD - CARETAKER - GIFTED - CANCER - TENTATIVELY BISEXUAL - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): July 17th (Cancer)[break]
Alignment: Neutral Good[break]
Hobbies: Upon leaving the Guild and "laying low", Ashley took up all sorts of hobbies and tried to learn a number of skills in order to occupy his free time and make the most out of the time he had to just... be. Cooking and trying new recipes, gardening, flowers and the meaning behind each one, making soap, reading, watching TV, knitting, etc. He tried learning a couple of instruments but he's terrible at most of them. He likes playing casual sports with people in community centers, specifically basketball and hockey. Rollerblading. Swimming and lake/beach activities like jet-skiing, tubing, and windsurfing. Running/jogging. Traveling.[break]
Celebrity Crushes: Emily Blunt, Keira Knightley[break]
Childhood Dream Job: Veterinarian, florist, marine biologist[break]
Current Goals/Dreams: Soak up as much from his new life as he can

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: Not anymore. Smoked as a teenager. May be tempted to bum one off someone else if particularly stressed.[break][break]

Drinks?: In moderation. Likes the atmosphere of smoky, dim-lit bars and enjoys nursing a few beers with like-minded company. Doesn't get down like he used to back in the day when he was running with his brother. Basically had a long spell of spiraling alcoholism before his "death" and is a bit afraid of returning there.[break][break]

Drugs?: No. Dabbled in some light things during his early Guild days but now he's not interested. Was fairly reliant on much harder drugs (mostly opioids, sometimes worse) for the better part of two years (the last two years before his "death") as a coping mechanism and is a recovered addict.[break][break]

Violence?: No, he's had enough. He can be pushed to react and retaliate but no one really wants that, him most of all.[break][break]

Casual Sex?: Ashley isn't usually one to sleep around. He had his fair share of loose relationships in his Guild days but now he wants steady and secure. Not to say something fast/easy isn't impossible — a particularly bad night or a strong first impression could possibly have him hopping in bed with someone quickly. He isn't 100% averse to the occasional one-night stand, especially if he's feeling more Dino than Ashley on said night. But he isn't likely to not feel anything the next morning. Whether those feelings are good (hopeful?) or bad (guilty?) depends on the situation and the other person.

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: All shades of blue[break]
Animal: Dog[break]
Food: Barbacoa tacos with all the fixings[break]
Dessert: Pound cake[break]
Candy: Dove chocolate (he pins the best of the notes/wrappers on his fridge with magnets)[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Iced tea (unsweet)[break]
Alcohol: Dark beers and, if he had to choose a liquor, tequila[break]
TV Show: He watches a lot of TV and keeps pretty current on trending and popular shows. His favorites would be dramas, cooking shows, and thrillers.[break]
Movie: Still Life (catch him bawling like a baby), Hachi (also bawling), Lady in the Water, Top Gun[break]
Musician: Doesn't really have a favorite artist, but likes soft and "achy" music. "Deep dark indie" and the like. Also a shameless honky-tonker when the mood is right.

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Red [break]
Animal: Bugs[break]
Food: Frozen TV dinners[break]
Dessert: Parfaits, lemon-anything[break]
Candy: Hard things that get stuck in your teeth[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: All sodas, sweet tea[break]
Alcohol: Vodka (got black-out, stupid drunk on it too many times, no thanks)[break]
TV Show: Shows that romanticize crime[break]
Movie: Anything Tarantino[break]
Music: Isn't picky but probably wouldn't listen to metal or hard rock to listen to himself

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Tentatively bisexual (is aware he has scattered attractions to men but has never acted upon them)[break][break]

Attracted To: Ashley is a bit old-fashioned and a romantic. He wants a partner who can make him melt, make him smile, make him daydream about raising kids together and silly things like that. He wants to woo, wants to go on dates, and wants to be someone's safe place. He is interested in honesty, loyalty, and kindness. Someone who is willing to share with him. Appearance isn't a huge issue but he'd be pulled more by a muted, conservative look than a dolled-up, busty bombshell. People who are willing to talk through whatever is going on and see arguments through instead of turning away/storming off. A willingness to do new, fun things together as well as "stay in" and just enjoy one another's company.[break][break]

Turned Off By: People who don't like dogs. Touching him when you're still strangers. Forward flirtiness/sleaziness. "Bad bitch" attitude. Jealous/constantly suspicious or bristly behavior. People who like to "play games", instigate arguments, throw a wrench in something just because they're bored, etc. All of these things were tolerable when he was Dino but now he's pretty sure it's not what he wants.

TATTOOS & SCARS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Age 10

• Tattoo: The head of a young deer with budding antlers, thumb-sized, centered on left breast

• Notable Scars: A healed-over hole on the top of his thigh from where Dane stabbed him with a pencil; small, rectangle burn on the skin between his thumb and forefinger (from rubbing an eraser over and over on a dare)

[break]

Age 19

• Tattoo: The head of an antlered stag, palm-sized, centered on left breast

• Additional Scars: Numerous, faint lines (most concentrated on both outer arms) from sparring/bladework; dog bite on his right calf; long scar down left shin from surgery/broken leg

[break]

Age 22

• Tattoo: The head of an antlered stag, palm-sized, centered on left breast; "Do Not Resuscitate" tattooed in small, neat script on the inside of his left forearm (x)

• Additional Scars: Jagged line that runs parallel with his collarbone, from shoulder to the base of his neck; an ugly, horizontal scar above his right hip where Dane dug out a ricocheted-bullet

[break]

Age 25

• Tattoo: Replaced by an ugly patch of tight, pink skin that looks almost like a healed burn; it's dipped with raised, jagged edges, and is the size of his hand (fingers splayed)

• Additional Scars: A long, jagged line down his right ribs, nearly from pit to hip; surgical scar on the top of his left thigh; various other welts/lines along his torso and back, some more severe than others

[break]

Current

• Tattoo: A solid block/rectangle of black ink, covering up the "Do Not Resuscitate" script on his inner left forearm (x)

• Additional Scars: Burn on the top of his left wrist where he touched the top stove rack while pulling out his fourth batch of cookies baked on a bad, drunken night

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]He does not exist in the social media world at all lmao, good luck to any internet sleuths.

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• Dino's hair is naturally a dishwater blonde. Around twelve years old, however, he started dyeing it darker (sometimes even black) so he wouldn't resemble his father so much. As teens/young adults, both Wayland boys tended to keep their hair longer and intentionally wild as a sort of "fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" to Antonio (who always wanted them to be proper and clean-looking).

[break]

• Dino's father is extremely homophobic and always has been. So, as a teenager, when Dino began to realize he was noticing other men, it was something he very adamantly repressed and kept clamped down. He had a couple of scattered crushes in his Guild days but what that realistically looked like was Dino simply keeping as far away from said crushes as possible (lest he look too long or say something dumb and be called out on it). [break][break]
  
  Out of the Guild and away from his father now, Ashley feels a bit more able to address his same-sex attractions. But after living so long feeling unsafe with them, he remains somewhat hesitant. He once accepted the phone number of a hopeful young man he struck up a conversation with at the retirement home. The phone number was stuck to his fridge with a magnet for weeks as he tried to work up some sort of courage/resolve to text him. Eventually though, he threw it away.
  

[break]

• Though Dane was obviously the more promiscuous and "play boy" of the two Wayland brothers, Dino also had his fair share of loose relationships back in the day. He was just far less blatant and "in your face" about it. Never kissed and told. None of his relationships lasted long (as he was often spiraling and didn't want to burden anyone during his frequent breakdowns).

[break]

• Though Dino loves his mother, Dane's always been her "baby boy". He was never as close with her as he was.

[break]

• Every dog he adopts or fosters gets a colored collar with their name (and his phone number) hand-stitched into it.

[break]

• Physically can not stand the smell of vodka. Will gag. Too many blackout drunk nights and bad memories.

[break]

• Both Dane and Dino/Ashley know Russian. Dane has an excellent ear for it and is a mostly-fluent speaker but he struggles when it comes to reading/writing it. Ashley, on the other hand, can read/write the language very well but he wouldn't be able to keep up quick enough to hold a natural conversation. Would have to ask someone to speak to him slowly in order to understand.

[break]

• Both Wayland brothers have terrible handwriting. Dane's is marginally better than Dino/Ashley's. Ashley is left-handed and Dane is ambidextrous!

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans & Gifted: His opinion doesn't differ much between the two groups. Despite being raised in a hunting syndicate and having spent many of his years killing Gifted individuals, Ashley honestly has nothing against them nor does he think them any worse or better than humans. He himself is Gifted. On the one hand, he may be able to find a bit more kinship in another Gifted person than he would a human but, on the other hand, he acknowledges some sort of risk in befriending and being close to them. The Guild will come after them all if they can and he'd rather not have a reason to get involved.[break][break]

Hunters: They're a complicated subject. Ashley's family and most of his companions growing up were Hunters. He can like them as individuals and has fond memories of many. But overall, he abhors the entire business — the murder, terrorizing, the blatant prejudice, all of it. Unless he felt particularly moved to in some way, he's bound to stay as far from Hunters as he possibly can, giving them a massively wide berth when he susses them out. There's no way of telling who is Guild-involved or not. At an ever baser level, Ashley himself is Gifted. Though his abilities aren't obvious or powerful and he isn't like to highlight them in any way, he could still find himself a target. Which should be avoided.[break][break]

Blackstorm: He quietly cheers them on. May be interested in their movements and their agenda if it means the eventual eradication of Hunters and the like. However, Ashley himself would be hesitant to get involved himself. It's better not to throw his lot in with the people who might be stepping toe to toe with hunters/the Guild and he wouldn't want to put any undue attention on himself.[break][break]

Sector: Eh, he's lukewarm about them. Understands what they're doing in some way but acknowledges the fact that their constant cover-ups and meddling enable Hunters to do their job all that much better.

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

ANIMAL EMPATHY & SCRYING

[attr="class","rt_span"]Ashley can sense the emotional state of animals and communicate with them on a very basic level. It isn't exactly telepathy; he can not control the animals, manipulate how they're feeling, or even talk to them. But he can project his own feelings and make them aware of his intent and actions, usually communicating to them that he's not intending harm and the like. If he were to focus and expand his senses, he could detect the presence of the animals around him. Somewhat inexplicably, this doesn't seem to work on humans (and by extension, shapeshifters). [break][break]

Ashley can also "hitch-hike" an animal's senses to see/experience what is happening around them. He can taste, smell, see, and hear as the animal does. He can feel whatever happens to their physical body and, in some smaller way (perhaps due to his empathy ability), can also feel their emotions and instinctual drive. He can not control the animal in any way and scrying leaves his human body somewhat exposed. Through the years, however, he has learned to sort of "half" his focus in order to maintain some hazy awareness of what is happening to and around his own body while he's scrying.

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Ashley is a very casual dresser who doesn't tend to put a lot of thought into what he wears (unless it's a special occasion like a date — he is a Wayland and knows how to clean/crisp up when expected). Typically though, he's just a run-of-the-mill t-shirt guy. His wardrobe is small and doesn't vary too much. You're most likely to run into him wearing dark jeans, dark slacks, joggers, or jogger shorts. He tends to favor long sleeves, sweatshirts, and hoodies to hide the many "battle scars" he's obtained over the years but, at the same time, he isn't so afraid of them that he'll completely forsake a regular, well-fitted tee. He collects pullover hoodies from every place he's been and they're always in rotation. He's always wearing sneakers/tennis shoes unless the situation demands otherwise. Expect a decent amount of dog hair on anything he puts on; no amount of lint-rolling can hide what's going on at home. Ashley is always wearing a chunky watch and had both of his ears pierced when he was a teen. [break][break]

Below is a selection of clothing, but more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

HOME

[attr="class","rt_span"]Ashley managed to buy an empty plot of land in the deepest recess of West Hook, one of the last places to fully develop. After securing the proper authorizations and approving his plans, he built his own house there in the span of nine months (living in a dinky camper on the same lot with his dog for the duration of the build). It is simple, humble, and unassuming — a two-story, two-bedroom home in which one might expect a small, loving family to live. The lawn is well-kept and maintained by Ashley himself, who pays a decent amount of care to the landscaping and front garden beds. The exterior is composed of warm, earthy-toned brick and brown-gray vinyl siding; trimmed with white and the doors and window shutters a dark, navy blue. A sidewalk starts from the drive and down the left side of the house to the gate that leads into the large, privacy-fenced backyard.[break][break]

[break][break]

The first floor is entirely tiled while the second floor (and the stairs) are completely carpeted (minus the bathrooms/closets). The front door opens into a hallway that has a table and coat rack where Ashley takes off his shoes, sheds his jackets, and empties his pockets. On your right is the staircase that leads to the second floor and on your left is the "guest" bathroom (a small half-bath with only a toilet, sink, and mirror/medicine cabinet) and the door to the garage. The hallway opens up into the living room and kitchen, which bleed together. The walls are all off-white with an accent of earthy brick. Wall decorations are a little sparse but he's always adding to it and rotates artwork every season and/or holiday. With an open doorway that connects to the kitchen there is also a "study" (this is what the windows at the front of the house open into). The study consists of a daybed and a couple of bookshelves that Ashley is currently working on filling out. [break][break]

The living room consists of a large, low-seated sectional, blue in color, with a matching ottoman (that is, more often than not, serving as a dog bed). On the opposite wall there is a small TV wall-mounted above a simple entertainment center and an unimpressive fireplace/mantle. Behind the couch is a sliding patio door that has an automatic dog door built into it so the animals can go in and out as they please. To the right of that is a wooden dining table with backless stools/benches. The kitchen is nothing special, with white cabinets and faux-wooden countertops. [break][break]

[break]

At the top of the stairs there is a hallway. A "guest" bedroom at the end of the hall on the left and the master bedroom at the end of the hall to the right. Directly across from the staircase and in between the bedrooms is the house's guest bathroom (sometimes called the dog's bathroom, since it's where they all get bathed during the colder months). The guest bedroom is small with only enough room for the queen size bed and a dresser. The master bedroom, on the other hand, is rather spacious. There's a master bathroom off of the master bedroom as well as a simple and well-organized walk-in closet. [break][break]

[break]

The backyard is very spacious and fenced. The patio doors open onto a covered porch with a fire pit and some outdoor furniture and further into the yard there is a picnic table. Lots of outdoor lighting. Although Ashley's house doesn't back up close to the surrounding forest like some others, there is a trail that goes past his fence and leads to the treeline. [break][break]

PETS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Ashley fosters dogs so there is usually about a dozen or so at his house at a time. Of these dogs, only five of them does he consider his own. While he wouldn't consider them up for adoption, if the perfect person came around, he could think about it. [break][break]

• Applejack (AJ/Jack): Approx six years old, female, Australian Shepherd. One-eyed. Ashley adopted Applejack fresh out of the Guild and she has traveled with him all over the country. She's done it all with him — hiked mountains, camped, and braved the open road. She's kind of like the defacto "big sister" of the entire pack. Fearless.

[break]

• Darling: Approx three years old, female, Pit Bull. Rescued from an abusive home and had to have her left front leg amputated due to an injury gone too long neglected. She's slow to open up to strangers and scared of most men. An absolute doll once she trusts someone though. Took a long time and a lot of work for her to come around to Ashley but now she's his biggest cuddle bug.

[break]

• Kodak: Approx one and a half years old, male, Jack Russell. Was rescued as a very young puppy from the same household as Darling. They're inseparable and he won't stand to be away from her. He is nervous around most people and can get very defensive and snappy if he feels like he's being backed into a corner. Very high energy and high prey drive — will chase cats and also shows some food aggression (Ash is working on it, but Kodak is very stubborn).

[break]

• Guinness: A little over thirteen years old, male, Dachshund. A little bit out of it most of the time. Lazy and spacy. Very little going on behind the eyes nowadays. Has no teeth. Slow and dumb. But loves a good pat and shows a little bit of spunk when Ashley first comes home.
  

[break]

• Omelette: Almost one year old, male, Bernese Mountain Dog. Prone to seizures. A huge, clumsy dope. Is smart and listens very well but, when not actively focused, can be a huge, amusing idiot. Carries a plushie around with him everywhere. Loves, loves, loves being doted on and cooed over.

[break]

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]2019 Subaru Forester, green. Kept very clean as far as trash goes. Has lots of room in the back (when he puts the seats down) to tote around his furry friends. Which he does often. So it can get muddy and smell like wet dog every now and again. [break][break]

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Below is a snippet, more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

[break]

CHRISTIAN R. SAVINO

25YRS OLD - PATROL OFFICER - HUMAN - GEMINI - HOMOSEXUAL - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): May 28th (Gemini)[break]
Alignment: Lawful Good[break]
Hobbies: Listening to podcasts, board games with friends, cooking, crisping up for dates and planning nights out, clubbing/dancing, hiking, surfing, traveling (especially to Latin America), concerts & festivals, baseball, soccer, working out, going to the beach, long-distance running, recently got into ceramics/pottery/glass-blowing[break]
Celebrity Crushes: Ryan Phillippe[break]
Childhood Dream Job: Professional soccer player, firefighter[break]
Current Goals/Dreams: He's living it

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: No. Not only has he never really wanted to, but his mother would have something to say for sure.[break][break]

Drinks?: Loves a good couple glasses of wine during dinner and on quiet nights in. Will drink when out with friends or at parties. But isn't one to truly get smashed or so drunk that he can't think straight. Usually plays the slightly exasperated "Mom friend" of any group when they all get too wasted; makes sure everyone is okay, taken care of, and that there's ample video/photo evidence of all the dumb, embarrassing shit they did.[break][break]

Drugs?: Nope.[break][break]

Violence?: Christian has never been one for brawling. He'd much rather diffuse a situation than escalate it. He isn't afraid to stand up to someone trying to start something and to let himself be pushed around, but he'd never be the one to throw the first punch. He knows how to keep his cool even after things blow up.[break][break]

Casual Sex?: Christian's young. While he wouldn't be opposed to finding Mr. Right and settling down at this point in his life, neither is he too fussed about it. He's on multiple dating apps and is cool with keeping things casual or "hooking up". There have been a couple of relationships in the past where he moved too quickly, was too strong, was too "romantic", and was shot down/ghosted. As a result, he tries his best to "play it cool" and not get too intense too fast.

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Blue, yellow[break]
Animal: Raccoon, red panda, black bear [break]
Food: Seafood paella, soup & sandwiches[break]
Dessert: Chocolate soufflé [break]
Candy: Licorice[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Lemonade or apple cider[break]
Alcohol: Red and white whites[break]
TV Show: [break]
Movie: [break]
Musician:

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Purple [break]
Animal: Snakes and other reptiles[break]
Food: [break]
Dessert: [break]
Candy: [break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: [break]
Alcohol: [break]
TV Show: [break]
Movie: [break]
Music:

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Homosexual [break][break]

Attracted To: [break][break]

Turned Off By:

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]WIP

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• Though Christian came out as gay to his family as a teenager, and would be honest with his closer friends were they to ask, he wasn't open about his sexuality until after graduating high school. He didn't start actively dating until his Police Academy days.

[break]

• Margo almost very nearly talked him into becoming a stripper on the weekends. He'd be lying if he said he still doesn't think about it occasionally.

[break]

• Has only been in one serious relationship. It lasted almost eight months. Then Christian was dumped because he arrested one of his boyfriend's friends (he later learned they'd been fooling around together for almost the entirety of their relationship).

[break]

• Would never date/hook-up with someone beefier than him. If it's close, that's fine, but if his partner starts getting too jacked, it's 'bouta be a swole-off. And if they don't stop hitting the gym so damn hard, they might have to hit the streets. He knows it's terrible but he also knows he'll have some sort of weird problem with it. He himself isn't sure why he has this issue but suspects it comes down to insecurity at the end of the day.

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans: [break][break]

Gifted: [break][break]

Hunters: [break][break]

Blackstorm: [break][break]

Sector:

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

HEALING & FORCE FIELD GENERATION

[attr="class","rt_span"]These powers are currently latent/dormant. Will be revealed at a much later date.

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

APARTMENT

[attr="class","rt_span"]Christian has lived in the same loft apartment for the past five years. When he first moved in he had little more than a bed but, since then, the place has filled out nicely. Located in a pleasant part of town, the rent is somewhat expensive for how small it is, but he doesn't mind. His neighbors are quiet, the view is nice, and theft/crime is low. He's never felt like he's needed more space and, quite honestly, the place is perfect for a young, single man. [break][break]

[break]

[break][break]

The various aunts and the occasional grandma who drop by Christian's house (usually to deliver food he didn't ask for, gossip about what the cousins are up to, or try and set him up with their neighbor's son) are always quick to comment on the lack of color in his home. And they're right! Everything is quite neutral; mostly blacks and grays with only the occasional splash of color for accent. He has plenty of lighting though and keeps the curtains on his large windows drawn during the day; ensuring the small apartment doesn't seem too closed in or suffocating. His apartment is always neat and tidy, the counters and table-tops always uncluttered and clean, the floors kept swept and mopped, etc. Everything has its place, from where he keeps his shoes at the door, to the way the pillows are situated on the couch. [break][break]

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]2019 Chevy Camaro. Still making payments on it. He keeps it pristine. The inside looks like it was just driven off the car lot and it goes through the carwash twice a week. [break][break]

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Below is a snippet, more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

[break]

LUCK R. HARRIS

35YRS OLD - GIFTED ADVOCATE - SECTOR - TAURUS - BISEXUAL - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): April 23rd (Taurus)[break]
Alignment: Neutral Good [break]
Hobbies: [break]
Celebrity Crushes: Dierks Bentley[break]
Childhood Dream Job: NASCAR Pit Crew [break]
Current Goals/Dreams:

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: Luck used to smoke regularly starting around sixteen/seventeen years old. When he joined Harmony at twenty-two, however, he quit. He maybe bummed a couple of drags off friends a few times over the next decade but didn't truly pick the habit back up until just recently. He's not a chainsmoker by any means, but he'll smoke probably three or four cigarettes on a normal day. He's still very conscious of the smell so will typically wash his hands and chew gum afterward. Will rarely smoke while wearing a coat/jacket that he doesn't plan to wash.[break][break]

Drinks?: Luck loves beer. He drinks two or three on a normal day and will be happy to get a more healthy buzz on nights out. But he's not a huge fan of anything stronger. Maybe a glass of wine during a fancy dinner or a fun margarita during vacation, but usually only one or two. He will rarely let himself get too drunk. Mainly because he tends to get wild and stupid and won't be able to handle the embarrassment the next morning. He's definitely the drunk who slurs incoherently (and his drawl becomes more pronounced), yells too loud, tumbles down the stairs or into the bushes, and always ends up being videoed doing something idiotic. Wakes up with bruises and feels the need to apologize to everyone. He also knows that he can very easily be nudged into belligerence/aggression while drunk, which is... something he doesn't like. He may let loose every once in a while, but typically, he'd much rather be the sober one or DD of the group during nights out. (Note: He kinda went off the rails after his break-up but he's trying to get it back together lol)[break][break]

Drugs?: He smoked weed a couple of times with some other boys during high school. But he didn't like how lethargic/"lazy" it made him feel. He's never done anything harder and doesn't really understand the appeal. But he remains empathetic/sympathetic toward addicts, especially if they're trying to recover. He won't hold someone's drug use (or relapse) against them but he will want them to get help and do better for themselves. [break][break]

Violence?: Luck is never looking for or attempting to instigate a fight. But neither is he one to turn his cheek or take it on the chin if someone decides to press him (or someone he's with). He's not afraid of getting physical. He was beaten up and bullied a lot by older kids when he was a child and grew into a "friendly brawler/boys will be boys" sort of teen. But nowadays — unless he's very drunk — he'll usually try to give an escalating situation a couple of chances to blow over before he's pulled into a fight. You could probably get one (maybe two) shots off before he's fighting back wholeheartedly. Anything more than fists, though, and Luck's a hard no. If a blade or gun comes out, it's gone way too far. [break][break]

Casual Sex?: He's no stranger to it. As a reasonably popular young boy in his small hometown during his later school years, Luck had his fair share of "rolling in the hay" with girls just as eager and careless as him. Kissed a couple of boys, too, but that was always much more secretive and tentative. He didn't really explore (or become comfortable with) his sexuality until he left Kansas and hit the road. Casual was all there was then, since he wouldn't stick around anywhere long enough to make lasting relationships (and never pretended otherwise). Nowadays though, Luck is fresh out of a long (10ish year) relationship. So, while he isn't exactly opposed to getting up to something casual, he's out of practice. He's no longer... quite accustomed to not caring for the person he's sleeping with. At the same time, he's definitely not ready for another relationship, so... it's just going to have to take some figuring out. He's in a weird transition space right now.

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Green-blue[break]
Animal: Opossum [break]
Food: Leftover pasta salad (somehow it's way better after a day or two in the fridge) [break]
Dessert: Peach cobbler[break]
Candy: Soft caramels[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Sweet tea, water [break]
Alcohol: Beer (whatever is on sale)[break]
TV Show: Most television series struggle to keep his attention past one or two seasons. If asked, he'd probably say Friday Night Lights, old Star Trek, Band of Brothers, or maybe even Buffy the Vampire Slayer (but Band of Brothers would be the only thing he's actually watched start to finish). He's more likely to be watching "real" stuff like Mythbusters, Top Gear, River Monsters, etc. [break]
Movie: The Indian in the Cupboard, Small Soldiers[break]
Musician: Dierks Bentley is his absolute #1. George Strait is a very close 2nd. Luck likes a lot of country music (be it old/classic or contemporary/popular, he's not a snob), 90s alternative, and secretly loves Savage Garden (don't tell anyone). Also Matchbox Twenty/Rob Thomas. Mostly just listens to the radio/XM stations.[break]
Song: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, To the Moon & Back by Savage Garden

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: Purple[break]
Animal: Rooster [break]
Food: Ramen, Hamburger Helper[break]
Dessert: Anything with raisins or pineapple[break]
Candy: Licorice[break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Unsweet tea, soda, black coffee [break]
Alcohol: Vodka and gin[break]
TV Show: [break]
Movie: Days of Thunder. Really anything with Tom Cruise[break]
Music: Tolerant of most anything tbh (so long as it has words he can understand)[break]
Song: He's Mine by Rodney Atkins (ouchie), Drinkin' Man by George Strait (ouchie x2)

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Bisexual [break][break]

Attracted To: Adventurous people. People who are capable of being spontaneous and who might say "yes" to something proposed out of the blue. "Wanna pause the movie and go for a drive?" "Let's go to Mexico", "Should we paint the living room this weekend?", etc. But also people who are practical and realistic at the same time. People who can take the blows as they come and always get back to their feet. He also wants partners who are honest with him and are unafraid to come to him with anything. Who are willing to let him know when they need him in any way. Luck's a very "acts of service" kinda guy so he likes when his partners ask things of him.[break][break]

When it comes to physical attraction, Luck is fairly simple. He's not too fussy. With both men and women, he refers partners close to his own height (not too much taller but also not a great deal shorter). Someone who both cleans up well and grimes up good. Likes traditional beauty in women — long hair, pretty eyes, a nice smile — but, at the end of the day, really... all girls are gorgeous. Somehow, he's much more attracted to "plain" than "striking". He isn't going to shit on anyone for wearing a lot of makeup — do whatever makes you feel good — but he prefers a natural, clean look over anything else. Women wearing his shirts, hair a mess, sleepy mornings — that shit is *lip-biting emoji, fire emoji, fire emoji, ok-hand-signal emoji*. [break][break]

No offense to all the androgynous, "pretty" fellas out there, but if Luck wants a man, he wants a man. He isn't into sleek and smooth and — unless they're modeling Levis or Marlboros — the catwalk boys aren't much his type. He's drawn more to stereotypical masculinity in male partners. Strong arms and hands. Facial hair or, at the very least, some scratchy stubble is just *chef's kiss*. Guys who look a little rough. Calloused hands and low voices. Men who just scream "blue collar" will always have him loosening his tie a bit.[break][break]

Turned Off By: There are probably a lot more of these now than there ever were before, most of which Luck himself isn't even aware of (because he hasn't dated in over ten years lmao). [break][break]

While it wasn't always true, he isn't a huge fan of particularly forward, uncouth, and/or aggressive passes/flirting. Strangely, this is more true of women than it is of men. A large part of it probably comes from a history of being too drunk in bars when he was 17-20 and sometimes not having the wherewithal (or the confidence/firmness) to tell off (older, wild, often equally drunk) women who were brazen, stubborn, and/or grabby. He definitely favors "slow-burn, trading lingering looks, flirty smiles across a bar, establish mutual attraction and work it up" than someone coming up, plopping themselves down, touching him, or being especially bold/direct. One daring grope or statement can make him far less amenable than he was before. (Of course, this is only true of strangers/people he doesn't yet know — if he's already fooled around with someone or an attraction is already made known then hell yeah, green light, make that cheeky/crude comment and watch him smirk). [break][break]

Also, while he is much, much more tolerable of it than he was before his last relationship, he isn't the biggest PDA person either. Luck is extremely tactile and affectionate, with partners and even his friends. He's all about a hand squeeze, a hug, a chin on a shoulder, a hand at the back, all of that. But he is a far cry from making out in the club or grabbing ass in the grocery store check-out. This is more true with male partners than it is with female partners and is most likely owed to growing up in a small town where things were very modest and bigotry was somewhat blatant (even among his own age group). He is obviously much more comfortable with his sexuality now but even so, that repressed part of him still exists and there's always that niggling thought that he shouldn't "shove anyone's faces in it". [break][break]

Beyond that, most of Luck's turn-offs are just very basic/expected things. He would not entertain someone much younger or older than him. Doesn't like particularly mean people or people who can't take care of themselves. Excessive insistence or "pushiness" can make him mean after a minute (and then he'll hate that he's become mean). Not a fan of familiarity (especially pet names/nicknames) when it hasn't yet been earned. Being too demanding of him (especially emotionally early on in a relationship). Doing/saying things to purposely embarrass him. Also, just... not being honest with him when he asks for it (it usually takes a lot from him to be direct about something, to get the guts to say/ask about something that's bothering him, so being dodgy/passive-aggressive/dismissive after he's finally twisted himself up to make that effort can really bite at him in a bad way).

TATTOOS, SCARS, & PIERCINGS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Tattoos: Luck has a handful of tattoos, all relatively small and simple. The word "Mom" tattooed in a heart with an arrow through it, on his left bicep (outer). A compass-esque design on his inner left forearm. A lineart sparrow also on the inside of his left forearm, just "above" the wrist. A minimalistic depiction of clasped hands/intertwined arms across the length of his right bicep (inner). Lineart of a deer on his outer right forearm, near the elbow. A person with a cardboard box over their head on his right shoulder (outer). [break][break]

Scars: Has many little, insignificant scars. Just things you naturally acquire when working with your hands and doing rough-neck jobs for half your life. The only "big" scars he has are from minor surgery. One is across the back of his right shoulder (he messed up a tendon in his arm when he was really drunk one night. How? He can't remember. Probably falling or jumping off something, but who knows.) And the second is a straight line down his left wrist (from snapping it a couple of years later — also drunk, also doesn't remember what happened). Has had his nose broken twice. [break][break]

Piercings: Pierced earlobe and industrial, both in right ear.

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]Luck decided fairly early on that social media wasn't right for him. Largely because any time he got even a little bit tipsy (read: often), he'd share anything and everything he found remotely funny. Just spams and spams of shit. His friends hated him. And he'd comment on absolutely everything, too. Facebook sticker for you, Facebook sticker for you, Facebook sticker for you, I love you so much, Facebook sticker for you, I'm so happy I know you, Facebook sticker, that shirt absolutely fucks, Facebook sticker for you. And he'd just post the dumbest most half-thought-out shit ever. And people kept tagging him in pictures and he did not like that.

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• Luck owes getting into NASCAR to another boy who lived somewhat close to him when he was a child. He'd often walk the almost two miles to his house to watch races when he was like 7-12 years old. The boy's whole family was BIG into racing and, beyond just feeding Luck a lot of the time, they would sometimes take him with them to the local short track or dirt track to watch rally cars and trucks.[break][break]
  
  His all-time favorite driver is a toss-up between Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch. Jeff Gordon because he liked the paint of his car when he was a kid and because everyone else hated him (mostly because everyone else loved Earnhardt and because Gordon was a clean-cut, California golden boy). As for Busch, Luck thinks he's definitely an asshole. But he loves him anyway. He's watched many "Incredible Saves" compilation videos and boy, he sure knows how to handle a car going 170-200 mph! It could also have something to do with the fact that Kyle Busch is only three years older than Luck and began racing with the big dogs when he was only 16/18. So he kinda always rooted for/idolized him.[break][break]
  
  Luck always knew better than to ask his mother for anything for Christmas. But, all through elementary school, the school would publish "Letters to Santa" in the local newspaper. And every year, Luck asked for a Jeff Gordon bomber jacket.

[break]

• Luck often wears a chain around his neck with a small cross. The cross belonged to his mother. If he is unable to wear it, or he's in a situation where he thinks he might lose it, he'll hang it from the rearview mirror of his truck. One time, the chain broke and he thought he lost it while swimming in the ocean. He cried, cried, and cried like a little boy. Then, later on, while undressing to get in the shower, the chain (and cross!) fell to the floor. It had gotten caught in his swimming trunks and stayed there the rest of the day. And he cried, cried, and cried even more.

[break]

• Luck doesn't really have a favorite beer. He'll just buy whatever is on sale at the time.

[break]

• Spotless driving record. Has been known to drive with a buzz, maybe with a little more than a buzz, but typically knows his limit.

[break]

• Although he isn't the biggest fan of them, cats tend to like him. He doesn't dislike them, he just grew up around outdoor/barn kitties and indoor cats never seem to compare. Any time he sleeps over at someone's house who has cats, he always seems to wake with them loafed on his chest or back. It's probably because he is always so hot (like how cats like to lay on warm laptops and such).

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans: [break][break]

Gifted: [break][break]

Hunters: [break][break]

Blackstorm: [break][break]

Sector:

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

EMOTION MANIPULATION: HOW IT WORKS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Luck's awareness of others' emotions is (fortunately) something he can "turn on/shut off". It requires a conscious searching or "reaching" on his part. His range is fairly large and doesn't require any sort of "line of sight". He can feel people out through walls, sense people in hiding, etc. But he is unable to identify what emotions belong to whom without some sort of visual aid and has a hard time singling out one person's feelings in a crowd unless he's looking straight at them. [break][break]

Manipulating emotions can be tricky. Especially the stronger a person is feeling. It's much easier to heighten an existing emotion, to shift a subtle feeling, or to "dampen" something, than it is to change one feeling into something else entirely. Strong or turbulent emotions are difficult to influence and it requires a lot of effort on Luck's part to do so. And it also requires a lot of... compensation. If a person is feeling extremely angry and Luck needs to "change" that (rather than just "lessen" it), then typically he'll have to make them extremely something else to cancel their anger out.

PERSUASION: HOW IT WORKS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Requires suggestions to be spoken verbally and with Luck's clear intention to persuade. Would not work on someone who can not hear him or who does not comprehend English. Also will not work if Luck's speech is garbled, mumbled, or otherwise unintelligible. "Roundabout" or "vague" suggestions are also less likely to have any effect; he must be direct and firm when making persuasions intended to work. [break][break]

Luck can't make commands such as "put the gun down" or "stop", but he can say (and make a person believe): "you don't want to do this", "she's lying", "we only want to help you", etc. The effect of his persuasion — as well as the time it takes for his suggestions to "wear off" — can vary wildly. Sometimes it is much easier and sometimes it is much harder to sway a person. Strong beliefs are more difficult to change and a person's mental and emotional stability plays a big role in how effective his persuasion can be. Usually, he has the most success if he's also using his emotional manipulation to make a person more calm and open to suggestion — but using both Gifts in tandem can be rather taxing on him.

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]For the every day and at home, Luck is a man who prefers his blue jeans and t-shirts (both plain and graphic). However, he also likes heavy-knit or woolen sweaters and solid-colored, well-fitted long sleeves. He tends to accessorize the same way on a daily basis; wearing simple studs or small hoops (sometimes some more exciting "danglies") in his pierced ears, a simple and thin silver chain around his neck, and a plain ring or two on his fingers. He also loves his baseball caps (especially when his hair is in a weird "transition" stage or he just doesn't want to mess with it). [break][break]

For his day job at the Sector, he cleans up fairly well (federal agency standards and all). At his best, he can pull off a three-piece suit like any other. At his worst, he'll at least attempt to still look clean and smart with a long-sleeve dress shirt and slacks. Sometimes, mostly on house calls or in the field (when it's typically better to seem more personable than professional), he'll even risk rolling the sleeves up or loosening his tie; letting it be known that he "doesn't really care for the fancy stuff either". He's definitely a man who loves his casual Fridays at work. [break][break]

Below is a selection of clothing, but more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

APARTMENT

[attr="class","rt_span"]Exterior: Luck's apartment complex has ten buildings, each with eight units in them. Four ground apartments and four second-story apartments. All unit doors lead directly outside; there are no "indoor common areas". [break][break]

Fortunately, Luck got a ground apartment! Unfortunately, the tenant directly above him is twenty-two and in a party phase. He's come home to find her with pissed pants on her stoop and had to help her inside twice already. And he kind of worries about her — sometimes he'll sit outside his door, smoking a cigarette a little longer than necessary, just to sort of "be around" when he can tell things aren't going well upstairs. He's knocked on her door before when the occasional sounds of fighting seem like they might have crossed a line. [break][break]

When Luck first moved in, he thought there were no washer/dryer amenities. Imagine his surprise when he eventually found out there were — in a small building located in the middle of all the tenant buildings — they'd just been "Out of Order" for the majority of a year. After hearing stories from other tenants about the complex's horrendous maintenance, he finally had enough and had a talk with the front office about letting him just "take a look" at the washer/dryers. If he could fix them, they only had to reimburse him for the parts he bought (if any), and they could just take it off his rent. They said no. But he insisted for a couple of weeks and they finally relented, just to make him leave them alone. He had them fixed within a week. [break][break]

Since then, the apartment has — once or twice — asked him to take a look at some other tenants' (long outstanding) issues. Each time he does a job they knock just a bit off that month's rent and it helps Luck feel useful, so everyone wins. But he's sort of made an enemy of the current maintenance man. But that's okay (he doesn't really mind). [break][break]

[break][break]

Interior: The entirety of his apartment, except for the bedroom, is composed of hardwood floors and beige walls. The kitchen could barely be called a kitchen and he has no sort of dining table/dining area. A lot of his wall-space is empty. The man isn't an interior designer. However, there are a pair of large, ornamental mirrors above the couch in his living room and a couple of framed pictures hung about. [break][break]

Very plain, simple bedroom. Khaki-colored carpet and off-white walls. Full-size bed (anything bigger would have been impossible and the room is already cramped with an end-table and a dresser being the only other furniture). This print (large) is hung above his headboard. No TV in the bedroom (as a rule, honestly, and also — the living room is literally two steps away?) With no windows, the light is usually pretty bad and he's more likely to pass out on his couch than in his room. [break][break]

[break]
[break]
[break]

PETS

[attr="class","rt_span"]WIP

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 - Looks pristine and clean on the inside (Luck always takes great care of his shit, but maybe his truck especially). Toolbox and cooler tied down in the bed. A couple of ballcaps always on the dash, in case he needs one in a pinch. Similarly, he keeps a couple of t-shirts and a pair of lace-up, work boots in the back, under the seats. Also keeps a 24-pack of water in the back floorboard, behind the driver's seat, that he'll move to the bed if he ends up with a lot of passengers and needs the room. A vintage NASCAR air freshener hangs off the rearview mirror, though it's so old it doesn't smell anymore (he uses vent-mounted air fresheners instead — vanilla scented). He does not smoke in his truck and no one else is allowed to, either. [break][break]

The small picture of him and Nate used to be propped on his dash, behind his steering wheel/in front of his digital display, but he moved it when they split. He couldn't make himself get rid of it completely though, so he just pinned it to his driver-side visor instead. [break][break]

[break]
[break]

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Below is a snippet, more can be found on his pinterest board. [break][break]

[break]

MICHAEL A. VAEL

31YRS OLD - RANCHER/VETERINARIAN - HUNTER - AQUARIUS - MOSTLY STRAIGHT - (x)

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]

[attr="class","rinseplot_dev_body"]

CHARACTER TRIVIA ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

GENERAL

[attr="class","rt_span"]Birthday (Sign): [break]
Alignment: [break]
Hobbies: [break]
Celebrity Crushes: [break]
Childhood Dream Job: [break]
Current Goals/Dreams:

BAD HABITS

[attr="class","rt_span"]Smokes?: [break][break]

Drinks?: [break][break]

Drugs?: [break][break]

Violence?: [break][break]

Casual Sex?:

FAVORITES

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: [break]
Animal: [break]
Food: [break]
Dessert: [break]
Candy: [break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: [break]
Alcohol: [break]
TV Show: [break]
Movie: [break]
Musician:

LEAST LIKED

[attr="class","rt_span"]Color: [break]
Animal: [break]
Food: [break]
Dessert: [break]
Candy: [break]
Non-Alcoholic Drink: [break]
Alcohol: Wine[break]
TV Show: [break]
Movie: [break]
Music:

SEXUALITY

[attr="class","rt_span"]Orientation: Mostly straight[break][break]

Attracted To: [break][break]

Turned Off By:

SOCIAL MEDIA

[attr="class","rt_span"]

EXTRA TIDBITS

[break]

• xxx

[break][break]

FACTION OPINIONS ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]Humans: [break][break]

Gifted: [break][break]

Hunters: [break][break]

Blackstorm: [break][break]

Sector:

[break]

GIFT ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

POWER NEGATION

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

REACTIVE ADAPTION/EVOLUTION

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

[break]

FASHION ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

HOME & VEHICLE ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

HOME

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

PETS

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

VEHICLE

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

[break]

MOODBOARD ★

[attr="class","rinseplot_rt_divid"]

[attr="class","rt_span"]xxx

[newclass=.rinseplot_dev_body]width:90%;height:498px;overflow:auto;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rinseplot_dev_body::-webkit-scrollbar] width:0px;border:0px; [/newclass]
[newclass=.rinseplot_dev_body h1]font:800 15px Poppins;padding-bottom:0px;text-align:center;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rinseplot_dev_body h2]font:800 12px Poppins;line-height:80%;color:#555!important;text-decoration:none;display:block;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rt_span]padding-left:10px;border-left:2px solid #ddd;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:20px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rinseplot_rt_divid]width:80%;height:1px;background-color:#9db5b2;margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:15px;margin-left:34px;[/newclass]