DEACON TIBERIUS CARLISLE VYAS
Name: Deacon Tiberius Carlisle (Vyas) Age: 30 Birthday: April 27th Gender/Pronouns: cis male / he/him Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Hometown: Brooklyn, New York (that he knows of) Length of time in Salem: one month Occupation: Authors Assistant Faceclaim: Avan Jogia
BIOGRAPHY
trigger warnings: Death, Trauma, Domestic Abuse, Criminal Activity, Incarceration, Implied Racism
Orphaned at the tender age of 6 during a family vacation, Deacon didn't have time to remember much of his life or his parents—all he knew was that they were gone and things were going to be very, very different from that point on. growing up in the foster system, Deacon bounced from home to home around Boston and earned himself the label of a "troubled kid", despite having been a good kid in the beginning. but when some families gave him back to the system for being "troubled", no one ever listened to why. from being bullied by other foster kids to the parents themselves, before the age of 10 Deacon had been made painfully aware that he wasn't quite the same as the other kids that got adopted quick and ended up in nice, loving homes; and a lot of the times it came in the form of comments that would stay with him well into his adulthood.
the classic "short temper" and lack of restraint when it came to fighting eventually were the first things said about him to potential adoptive families, which only aided in making it harder and harder for his case worker to find him a permanent family. by the time he was 14 he had been through countless foster homes only to be sent back a handful of months later with the same excuses: 'he won't listen, he won't go to school and he fights with my other kids'. of course, no one ever really took the time to see the trauma under all the anger or ask Deacon if he was okay, instead he was scolded and repeatedly reminded that if he did smarten up no one would ever take him in.
Deacon was convinced that he would spend his days in a boys home until he was old enough to be on his own, but just before his 15th birthday a young woman named Joline Carlisle, who had visited several times throughout that year, had come through the boys home and signed papers to adopt Deacon. at first it seemed like any other placement, but when he got to his new home it was vastly different. from being crammed in apartments with 6 other kids to being the only kid in an actual house with hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances and his own room; the culture shock lasted longer than it ever had coming into a new home. Deacon was convinced that even with all the nice things, he still wouldn't really have parents, but was also wrong about that as well. Joline was kind, loving and patient in everything she did–from helping him with school work, to noticing when he was upset or lashing out over small things and sitting him down to talk out his feelings, it didn't take long for Deacon to let down his walls and let himself connect to his adopted mom and let someone care about him for once.
being so used to leaving after a few months Deacon still struggled with finding a routine of any sort, but despite it taking a year or two until he settled completely, Joline never gave up on him once. she became the sole reason as to why Deacon went from a 'troubled kid' to someone who felt heard, seen, and loved. once he realized he could stay at the school he was in he began putting in the effort, changing his grades, and reaching out and trying to make friends. when things began to turn around for Deacon academically, all sorts of doors began to open for him—specifically ones for college. even the mention of it had Joline excited for him and encouraging him every step of the way, even going as far as to speak to Deacon's case worker and help set him up to go straight into classes when he finished high school; but he had to keep up his grades and not fight anymore.
the deal was easy enough for Deacon to keep, focusing on his work and doing everything he could to get what he saw as a free pass to a better life had him more determined than he had ever been before in every aspect. before he knew it, he and Joline were celebrating with happy tears when he received his letter of acceptance into college. he still wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to do, but he knew he would find it once he got to school and started figuring out the classes and what interested him.
in between finding what he wanted to study and picking his classes, Deacon met Andrew—and immediately knew that he was someone Deacon wanted in his life. within a month the two were a couple, and everything felt as if the hard work he put in was finally paying off—but six months into what Deacon thought was becoming a solid relationship came to a screeching halt when Drew up and left school and their relationship without any warning and a shallow explanation of 'having to do the right thing'.
the abrupt breakup cut Deacon deep, and every chance he could find he made a point of reminding Andrew they had been happy together and whatever he was trying to prove now would just get harder in the long run. but the more Drew pulled away and tried to fix things with his ex girlfriend, the more Deacon began to give up on trying and attempted to move on from the relationship that he felt cheated out of.
by the time things had really ended even with their friendship, Deacon headed home for a visit in an attempt to recollect himself and vent and get the comfort only a mom could give, but when he got there his plans were changed for him very quickly. When Deacon showed up at home, he found Joline bruised and timid, quiet and terrified of her own shadow at the hands of the man she had begun dating not long after Deacon left for collage. like any protective kid, Deacon then proceeded to find his mom a hotel for a few days, send her there and wait in the house until her boyfriend showed up–and what he did to the guy cost him three years in jail and a restraining order; and Deacon took the sentence with a smile.
When he got out of jail he decided to stay with Joline for a few months and get back on his feet before he moved out to New York, finding himself a mechanic job and making himself good money stripping cars and rebuilding them; all the while searching for any Biological family while he was there. he didn't make much progress at first, having only his fathers name to go off of, but after being there a year he got a hold of the name of a potential uncle on his dad's side, but never took the leap to try and meet him or any family before the shop he worked in was busted and he went down with everyone involved, spending another four years in jail.
by the time he got out again and contacted his mom, he found out she had moved back to Massachusetts and had settled in Salem and insisted he stay with her until he found himself a place to live. he's been out of jail and living with her for about a month, and just started a job as an assistant that he hopes will help get him his own place soon. he's still determined to meet his biological family in some way but has refrained from it thanks to his criminal record as well as not wanting to potentially upset his adopted mom; but he keeps his uncles information tucked away in his wallet for when he's ready to finally reach out.
PERSONALITY TRAITS
POSITIVE: Charming | Observant | Selfless
NEGATIVE: Impulsive | Stoical | Introverted
— WANTED PLOT/CONNECTION IDEAS
someone he met in prison; a cellmate, someone else doing time, someone who was there to visit someone inside but ended up visiting with Deacon instead and they kept in contact, there's a few ideas here
maybe the son or daughter of the guy Deacon beat for hitting his mom, there's a LOT of potential there
Andrew (his collage ex-boyfriend who broke up with Deacon to raise his kid with his ex, name is absolutely negotiable! )
anyone from his biological family that he could potentially reconnect with in whatever way, good, bad, in the middle, anything would be amazing!
high school exes, flings that happened while he was in NYC
anyone he may have worked with in the mechanics shop in NY, maybe someone he took the blame for who feels like they owe him for not ratting them out
FOSTER SIBLINGS!!!
anything and everything i’m just excited to plot :’)