A S A H O L L A N D
— basics
name: Asa Holland age / d.o.b.: 47, October 24, 1977 gender, pronouns & sexuality: Cis man, he/him, gay hometown: Swords, Ireland occupation: illustrator & Librarian education: none relationship status: Single children: None positive traits: (5) Creative, Resourceful, Kind, Thoughtful, Witty negative traits: (5) Vengeful, Awkward, Forgetful, Negative, Withdrawn
Full Bio is under the cut - please be aware of trigger warnings before proceeding.
— biography
tw // homophobia, medical malpractice, mental institutions, murder
Asa grew up in a small family home in a town on the outskirts of Dublin. Both parents were devoutly Catholic and the whole family walked to church multiple times a week. He worked summers helping clean up the little church-house in the valley and his father often pawned him off to ‘learn a hard day’s work’ at various places in town. Despite his father having plenty of money and working at a bank in the city, Asa was often treated like he had to provide for his family as well. He wanted to spend time with his siblings but it often fell on him to get a job first, to get his license, to get into college. There was immense pressure from his family at all times to be the model son.
He had always been introverted but starting in high school, he started to rebel, getting angry at his parents and lashing out at them. His father had just started a very high-profile job in the government and his 13 year old son was the least of his issues. Eventually, Asa was sent away to a home for ‘troubled teens’ and was essentially beaten into submission by orderlies and people who did not care about his wellbeing or his mental stability. He was treated like a problem, like an inmate in a prison at the age of 14 and was kept there for years due to his father’s negligence and lies. Saying after Asa came back for a short time once that he was still ‘acting up’. That they had failed and he would expose them if they didn’t forge documents to send Asa off to a mental institution.
Through it all, Asa was manipulated into thinking he was the problem. That he had done so much wrong that he was being punished, and would continue to be for the rest of his life- tormented by the Devil. Because of his father’s lies, he was in and out of a few psychiatric facilities, given experimental (and illegal) medical treatments, and treated as insane. His father was a constant terrifying presence in his life, always finding a new place to send him off to in Ireland, Wales, and London.
Asa changed the course of his fate when one day his father pushed him too far- after another heated argument and further tries at manipulating him to go back to an in-patient facility, Asa murdered his father. He was lucky- his dad never spoke about his son to others due to his immense disappointment, so Asa fleeing to the U.S. was done as covertly as possible.
After moving to the US, he created a large court case to take down the corrupt mental hospital he'd been in back in London - St. Irene's. With meticulous organization and gathering evidence, Asa was able to get the place shut down and several of the doctors sent away to prison - and he in turn won a huge settlement. He did art- something he’d loved to do throughout his time in and out of facilities, and in the past few years he's created some children's books that have done well on the market, the second one even hitting the NYT Bestsellers list. He’s a bit withdrawn and quiet, awkward with making friends.
Without money being a huge object, Asa moved off to Ohio. He wanted to avoid prying eyes and suspicion about his crimes, and live out the rest of his life in peace. He started as a volunteer to put books away, seeming like some lost soul who had happened upon Helltown. Soon he was hired as an actual librarian, his meticulous organization an asset even if he's sometimes a little offputting.
— wanted connections / plots
-One night stands, ex-lovers, hook-ups, flings -Unlikely friends that contrast his shy demeanor -Drinking buddies -Folks who know about his father’s mysterious death -Someone who watches his 5 cats when he’s away -Fans of his illustration work -Unlikely rivals turned friends (turned… lovers??) -Extended family on his mother’s side
