HUMBLE.

[emberleon]

↳ INTRODUCING: EMBER LEON

in character

Name: Ember Leon

Faceclaim: Nathalie Emmanuel

Gender & Pronouns: Ciswoman & She/Her

Age: 35 (for 2 weeks)

Birthday: June 26, 1988

Occupation: Director of Parks & Recreation for Wilmington

Neighborhood: Midtown

Does your character have a secret? she assumed that it was her intelligence that got her into stanford but she actually got waitlisted and her parents paid off the board so that she'd get accepted, which she doesn't know about.

biography

ember was always smarter than others her age. from the moment she was born, she caught on to things a lot faster than any other average baby would. she walked sooner than expected, began reading earlier than she should have, and immediately excelled in school, which ultimately led the girl to skip two grades. (those grades being 3rd and 8th). the fact that she was younger than a lot of the people in the same grade caused her to be left out of a lot of things. she had a hard time making friends in school but even so, she found her group of people in clubs such as school council and the debate club, both of which she loved.

it was no surprise that the girl was one of the options for valedictorian and she did whatever she had to do to make sure that she landed on top. well, everything that was legal anyways. it got her what she wanted and delivered a speech that she was more than proud of. in addition to that, she was accepted into her dream school. that being, stanford. from a young age, it was what she had always hoped for and every decision she made was what she hoped would land her where she wanted to go.

despite having a hard time making friends in high school, she had better luck at college. maybe it was because she was finally growing into her body or maybe it was because she was in a new place and she felt as though she could mold herself further to be something other than the smart girl. it wasn't like learning was the only thing she liked to do, even if it was one of her favorite hobbies.

friends wasn't the only thing she made though. she also managed to make an academic rival, one who was always going out of his way to try to do better. she, luckily, landed on top every time. at least as far as stanford went. after graduating with a 4.0 GPA, she accepted a job back in wilmington in the parks department and found her love for helping the community.

things seemed to have worked out for the best for her until her academic rival from stanford was also her rival when she decided to run for mayor, which was more than frustrating. though, she was probably a bit too cocky because ember assumed she'd win against him as she did back in school, especially since she was a native but that wasn't the case. the other one and it only fueled her dislike for him more.

now, she managed to land herself the job of the parks and recreation director and she regularly works to turn as many places as she can into parks where people can enjoy their time.

[avaxthompson]

Her eyebrows rose with that revelation. "Well, now we absolutely have to circle back to that." But she hadn't had time to recover, for now her jaw dropped in shock at Ember's more than easy agreeability to buying her boots. "Okay, I can't tell if you're joking or not but knowing you–you'd seriously do it. So I feel as though I have to say: do not buy me two thousand dollar boots. Are you crazy?" The shot glass was taken between her fingers, and raised between them. "Then you aren't drunk enough." Without hesitation, her head tipped back with the shot glass to down the burning alcohol–though it wasn't horrible in comparison to tequila they'd normally find in a bar. "Which means.. you need another one."

[emberleon]

ember laughed softly, "do we?" she teased. having the alcohol moving through her veins helped her relax quite a bit and she was having fun. a lot of fun, actually. she was glad she managed to let ava talk her into coming out with her. "you know i'd do it." though, that was a little out of her budget, she would still find a way to make it happen if it's what would put a smile on her friend's face. laughing, she took another shot and nodded. "so let's order another round. this one is on me. after all, i'm so glad you invited me out tonight."

[bodexjames]

Nobody ever liked being asked questions, especially hard questions that came with memories of importance and that, more often than not, came with a lot of baggage. Bode tried to be tactful and not in people's faces, but sometimes it could be tough. "Criminals don't very often base their actions around morals or if you cause damage or not, even if they did, the person or people that tried to kidnap you don't fit that profile." He explained with a tilt of his head. "There's an obvious connection between you and the two other hostages, but that's very surface level, we're trying to redirect and exhaust all clues. Did you work closely with any other mayor?"

[emberleon]

ember inhaled a deep breath. she couldn't help but wonder if this whole thing was ever going to be solved or if her kidnapper was just going to continue roaming around wilmington as though they'd done nothing wrong. "what connections? i mean, kimberly makes sense because she works with irza but benji?" she had no idea why they'd snatched him up but she was curious to know what they were thinking. "i mean, i've been working for the parks department since i got out of college so, i've worked with other mayors. none as close as irza but i've still worked with them."

[atlasxthorne]

He smiled at her laugh, happy to see her doing so well. They'd managed to stay friends after breaking up, which was pretty cool. "No way, I haven't tried it. I like The Cozy Cup better - you know, where nobody gives you weird looks for ordering plain black coffee," he said, shifting his weight on the cart handle. "But okay, maybe I'll check it out since you say it's good. Just … don't laugh when I mess up saying those fancy drink names." Looking at how relaxed she seemed made him feel good too. "You look really happy, Em. I mean it. How about we hang out for coffee sometime … as friends, obviously. I'll pay."

[emberleon]

despite what she'd been through a couple of months back, she still felt as though she were doing really well after going to a therapist. not only that, she was in a relationship where she couldn't be happier. while atlas had been good to her, he just wasn't what she was looking for back then and the two of them hadn't worked out. "they're not all that fancy and they'll serve black coffee too. i just don't see how you do that. no cream, no sugar, nothing." ember smiled at the man and nodded in response, "for sure. i wouldn't mind doing that. we'll meet up at my fancy coffee shop." she spoke in a playful tone.

[ariyacl]

She took in Ember's words, her lips curving up. Thinking of Pearce brought that stupid flutter to her stomach she pretended to hate. "Lucky is right. Sometimes I look at him and wonder how I got here," she said, twisting the silver bracelet on her wrist. "He thinks I hung the moon or something. It's terrifying and wonderful all at once." She considered what Ember said about their flaws, letting out a soft sigh. "You're right about keeping him around. Even if he is a disaster in the kitchen and uses all the hot water." The tension left her shoulders as the words flowed easier. "And yeah, seeing you and Irza together gives me hope that maybe I won't mess this up too badly."

[emberleon]

"you know what they say," ember started, "good things come to those who wait. you seemed to have waited for pearce and he found you right in time." she smiled. it was good to see her so happy. "i know what you mean though. you meet a guy that treats you better than you could have ever imagined and you don't really know how to act. that's how i am with irza but you know what? i think that what's meant to be, will be." and everything seemed to fall into place since her shift in relationship with irza. "you won't mess anything up. that man loves you and i think anyone who sees the way he looks at you would see that."

[irzaozer]

Irza hadn’t wanted to make it seemed as if he was being hard on Ember, but he truly believed she needed help. And if she spoke to someone, it would help her. He looked at her with an appalled expression. "Of course I won't leave you. Why would you even think that? I love you, askim." Lost for words, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply, until he was breathless. "You're it for me. I want you and only you. But I also want to make sure you're okay."

He shook his head, trying to process what she'd said. The idea that she thought he might leave her over this was crazy. He'd been through too much with her to ever consider walking away. "Ember, listen to me. I'm not going anywhere. Ever. You don't need to do better or be better. You just need to be you." He cupped her face in his hands, looking into her eyes. "What happened to you was traumatic. It's okay that you're still dealing with it. I just want to help you heal." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry if I made it seem like you weren't doing enough. That's not what I meant at all. I just hate seeing you scared in your own home. Our home."

[emberleon]

ember just didn't want to lose him over her struggle to get over what had happened to her. while it had technically brought the two of them closer together, she just hoped that it wouldn't end up pushing the two of them apart. "i love you too." she breathed out and before she could say much more, he was leaning in and placing a deep kiss on her lips. ember kissed him back, her tears falling down her cheeks and hitting their lips. she parted and wiped at her cheeks, "i'm sorry. i just feel like this whole thing has turned me into someone weak and i'm not that way."

she felt a small smile tug at her lips at his words. irza always knew what to say to her and it was one of the many reasons that she'd managed to fall in love with him. a long sigh left her lips, "i've never gone through anything like this. you know, i mean, i've lived a normal life and now i have this trauma that i don't know how to get through and i'm just scared it's going to drive the people i love away." but she knew that if she got help, they would teach her how to cope. "i'll…look into therapists. maybe a self defense class wouldn't be such a bad idea either…"

[irzaozer]

Irza watched her clutch his shirt, his fingers brushing against her shoulder in gentle circles. "So you're saying I'm hot and smart? I'll take that as a win," he teased, pulling her closer when she jumped. The dark water splashed against their boat—creating ripples in the dim lighting. "You know what's funny? Back in college, I used to practice singing just to annoy you whenever you’re around." He smiled at the memory, remembering how she'd bang on the wall every time he hit a particularly bad note. The boat drifted deeper into the tunnel, and he kept his eyes on her face, studying how the shadows played across her features. When another jump scare popped out, making her laugh, he pressed a kiss to her temple. "See? Not so bad when you've got someone to hold onto." His voice dropped lower, more serious. "And I'm not going anywhere." The words carried more weight than just the moment—after everything they'd been through, from rivals to this, he meant every syllable.

[emberleon]

she laughed. "you say that as if you didn't already know that." ember made a mental note to tell him more. she wanted to make sure that the man knew just how amazing he was. "that's….not surprising. then again, there were things that i used to do to get under your skin too. usually it just involved rubbing my grades in your face." she admitted. their rivalry seemed ridiculous now and she felt stupid for letting it go on so long, especially now that the two of them were in such a loving relationship. despite one making her laugh, she didn't pull away from irza's side. she was sure that was the only way that she could face this. "promise?" she breathed out, her eyes peering up at him in the dim lit tunnel.

[rylexcallahan]

Honestly, Rylan didn't care much about brands. Despite his mother's constant complains how much of a picky eather he was, maybe it was just a phase, because one couldn't say he had problems with food. Sure, there was stuff he didn't like, but as far as he was concerned food tasted just the same despite a brand name attached to it. "Sounds more delicious in my opinion." He argued yet taking the package in exchange for the one in his hands. "Would never understand how someone can give up double chocolate over a specific brand of cookie dough but it's your choice."

[emberleon]

ember couldn't help but grin as he handed over the package that she'd basically been dreaming about the entire day. "thank you," she sighed as she held it to his chest and smiled to herself. "it's just a preference. i hope that your brother still enjoys what you bring him. though, i'm sure he will because like you said...who would complain about double chocolate?" the last thing she wanted was to talk him out of it.

[nicolemcrtin]

"Brunch is a great idea! And you're staying with Irza so you're in my neighborhood. We could go whenever you feel like it." It was then she realized the name that had just slipped out. "I–okay, Irza told me that you've been staying at his place..." Her eyes gleaming with curiousity. "How’s that been?” She asked curiously, not in a nosy way–but okay, perhaps a little nosy.

[emberleon]

ember paused for a moment, unaware of how she knew that she was staying with irza. her heart raced with nerves for a moment until she revealed how it was she was knew. "oh, yeah," she smiled softly, "it's been nice. i mean, he makes me feel good - safe. he makes me feel safe." she quickly added, her fingers tugging at one another.

[irzaozer]

He listened to her explanation, his expression somber. Irza took her hands in his, and when he spoke, his voice was gentle, “Of course I know you wouldn’t hurt me. You were scared. It’s okay.” He didn’t want to say this, but it was about time he finally told her how he felt. “Ember, I think maybe it’s time you talked to someone about what happened. Really talked about it. I know you’ve been trying to move past it, but it’s clear it’s still affecting you.” He paused, not wanting to push her too hard. Seeing her so on edge and frightened in their own home made him realize they couldn’t keep ignoring it.

“I think it might help if you talked to a therapist who specializes in trauma. I know it’s not an easy thing to consider, but I’m worried about you. I want you to feel safe again.” He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to decide right now. Just think about it, okay? I’m here for you no matter what. We’ll get through this together.” He pulled her into a hug, holding her close and breathing her in. He hated this—stuck in between not knowing what to do and forcing her to seek the help that she desperately needed.

[emberleon]

ember loved irza entirely too much to hurt him and she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to forgive herself if she'd actually ended up hurting the man. her brows furrowed as he spoke. she'd been thinking about seeing someone for a little while now but to hear it come from him, of all people, made her heart fall into her stomach. was all of this affecting him too? she didn't know what to say but she was sure the frown that took over her face was enough to tell him how she felt.

"i've been trying to move past it," she breathed and looked down at their hands, tears making their ways into her eyes. "and i've, you know, just…stopped talked about it all together. i thought that if i did that then i would be able to just get over it but when you're not here, i get in my head sometimes and-" she cut herself off and wrapped her arms around the man as he hugged her, "promise me you won't leave. i'll do better, i promise." if getting help was what he thought was best then maybe it was something she should look into.

[irzaozer]

Irza noticed her face brighten at his teasing, and damn if his stomach didn't do that stupid flip thing when she admitted being obsessed with him. "You comparing me to Michael Bublé?" he chuckled, keeping his voice low. "That's generous. Very generous." He squeezed her hand, thinking about how they went from wanting to strangle each other to whatever this thing between them was now. The boat showed up, rocking on the water. He got in first, then held out his hand to help her. "We can do whatever you want. But I doubt we'll need more than one drink." He sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. When she leaned into him, he stayed right there, solid and steady. "If they jump scare, kick them," he muttered, trying to get her to chill. The dark stretched out in front of them, but he paid more attention to her, still kind of amazed that he was here trying to make her feel better instead of trying to one-up her like before.

[emberleon]

she held so much love with the man, especially since he'd been so good to her through everything she'd been through. how could she not be in love with him? "i said you're no michael buble, which i guess i am comparing you. look, you can't be hot and smart and be able to sing. god had to give you some weakness." she pointed out, a small laugh leaving her lips. she leaned into his side, preparing herself for what was to come. this was hard but it was something she wanted to face. her eyes focused on what was to come, trying to soak everything in as he heart raced in her chest. as something popped out, she jumped and then laughed as herself as she clutched onto his shirt. "that one got me." she admitted softly.

[irzaozer]

Irza stumbled through the front door, dead tired from dinner with his work peers. The day had kicked his ass with endless meetings and paperwork. His sole desire was to collapse onto the bed. His brain was mush as he shuffled to the bedroom, oblivious to everything around him. Out of nowhere, someone jumped at him, swinging something over their head. “Lanet olsun!” he yelped, tripping backward. His pulse raced as his body flooded with adrenaline. Then he realized it was Ember with a baseball bat she almost clobbered him with. “What is going on here? Are you okay?” he asked, letting out a big breath.

He held her tight, noticing she was shaking a bit. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he said quietly, rubbing her back. “Did something happen while I was out?” His protective side took over as he looked around the room for any signs of trouble. Seeing nothing weird, he led Ember to sit on the bed. “Talk to me,” he said having her sit down on the edge of the bed and kneeling in front of her. “What’s got you freaked out?” He paid close attention as she spoke. He frowned, worried. Even though the kidnapping attempt was a while ago, he knew it still messed with her head—he just never had the heart to address the matter.

[emberleon]

she felt stupid for getting so worked up at the point but she was still trying to work through what happened and who was to say that whoever tried to take her in the first place wouldn’t come back to finish the job? The thought of it all filled her with fear and that’s why she’d taken the situation into her own hands. Though, she did feel bad for almost taking her boyfriend out in the process. “I’m okay. I mean, I’m fine.” She really didn’t want to worry him but she knew that there was no way that they were going to just breeze by the fact that she was armed with a baseball bat.

She leaned into him, taking comfort in his embrace and she was more than glad he was home. Allowing him to lead her over to the bed, she sat down and let out a sigh. Would he think she was crazy? She swore she’d seen something but now that she thought about it, it was probably Irza. “I just, I thought I heard something and then I guess I saw you and panicked. I don’t know. I didn’t think it was you. I wouldn’t hurt you, you know that, don’t you?” She didn’t want him to think he had to be afraid of her while she tried to get through this.

[irzaozer]

"Your obsession with my cologne might be my favorite thing," he said, pulling her closer. "And these arms? They're yours whenever you need them." The line inched forward, and he noticed how the darkness made her grip tighten. He forced himself to stay relaxed. She'd been making progress in therapy, and he didn't want to undermine that. "Serenading?" He laughed, running his fingers through his dark hair. "Only if you want everyone here running away screaming. Trust me, my singing would make this haunted house sound like a lullaby." He paused, remembering the karaoke disaster. "But for you? I'd embarrass myself any day." The boat approached, and he guided her forward. "Though I think I'll stick to my day job. Being mayor is less likely to cause public panic than my rendition of 'I'll Be There.'" His eyes softened as she looked up at him, and he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Ready for our scary ride?"

[emberleon]

"i think we both know that there's not much about you that i'm not obsessed with." ember confessed with a laugh. she was completely infatuated with the man next to her and even so, he never let that deter him away from her. in fact, she was convinced that he liked it. "come on, you're not that bad. i mean, you're no michael buble but i still love you anyways." she teased him softly, smiling up at the man who held her head. she climbed into the boat with irza and clutched onto his hand, preparing herself for what the two may experience. "i'm as ready as i'll ever be. i think we should definitely follow this up with a drink though." she confessed and leaned into his side.

[emberleon]

CLOSED STARTER FT. @irzaozer

while the attempted kidnapping felt like a life time ago, it was still very fresh in ember's mind. the feeling of the stranger grabbing her, the noises he made as he struggled with her, and the way he shoved her when he was caught. all of those things haunted her and so, despite not bringing it up anymore or even ignoring the conversation when others brought it up, she was very much still bothered by what happened and consistently looked over her shoulder.

tonight was like any other night. she was home alone waiting for her boyfriend to join her when she swore she heard something outside. panic set in, her heart racing and her palms sweating as she got up and peered out of one of the windows. in that moment, her brain convinced her that she was something. someone. making sure that the doors were locked, ember ran into her shared bedroom with irza and grabbed the baseball bat that was kept on her side of the bed right under the edge of it. as she turned around, her boyfriend was standing right behind her and well, she almost clocked irza with the baseball bat. luckily, she realized it was him and dropped it, a sigh of relief leaving her lips as she launched herself into his arms. "thank god it's you." she breathed out.

[ariyacl]

Even now, months later, her pulse raced at the thought of his smile and the way he looked at her like she was his whole world. "It's wild how fast things move when you're with the right person," Ari mused, thinking of Pearce. "You and Irza make it look so easy." She truly envied how Ember and Irza's relationship flowed. They were perfect together. "Thanks for saying that about deserving him. Sometimes my brain gets stuck on repeat with the what-ifs, you know? Like maybe I'm not enough." The insecurity crept into her voice despite trying to mask it. "Perfect is a stretch, though," she said with a small laugh. "He leaves his socks everywhere and can't cook to save his life. But yeah, he's perfect for me." Despite his weirdness, he made her feel safe and loved. That freaked her out more than any diagnosis ever could.

[emberleon]

ember nodded her head in agreement. "i get what you mean. i didn't think that half of the things i've done with irza would have already happened but the amount of love that i feel for the man is the entire reason that i've done it and i can't be happier that i have him by my side. i'd say i'm lucky. really, we both are." she nudged her friend, shaking her head as the woman spoke. "i get it. you just kind of have to realize that despite your flaws and his too, he's clearly worth keeping around and he thinks the same about you."

[irzaozer]

Irza studied Ember’s face, searching for any signs of discomfort. Her admission made him smile, and his chest filled with pride at her bravery. "Good, because I like having you close," he murmured, pulling her against his side. The line moved forward, and the screams from inside the tunnel made him wonder if this was too soon after everything she'd been through. "I know you're okay," he said. "But I'll always worry about you. It's part of my job description now." She teased him about being overprotective, and he laughed, his eyes rolling. "Yeah, yeah. Make fun of the guy who cares about you." The boat ahead of them disappeared into the darkness, and he felt her grip tighten on his arm. He looked down at her and said, “All jokes aside, you know that I’m not going anywhere, right? All you have to do is call me and I’ll be there, like that song.” He winked.

[emberleon]

ember smiled softly, "and i like being close. have i ever told you how obsessed i am with that cologne of yours? your scent is my absolute favorite and you know, i may or may not love your arms around me." she teased. she was working on doing better. she knew she couldn't live in fear forever. on top of that, she'd had her first therapy session and she really felt good about the direction that her treatment was going. "i know baby. i know you're not going anywhere." she spoke after her grip tightened on his arm. being in the dark was a little intimidating, especially out in public but she had irza and she knew she could face anything with him by her side. "you gonna start serenading me now?"

[atlasxthorne]

CLOSED STARTER

LOCATION: The grocery store TIME: Thursday afternoon FOR: @emberleon

Atlas’ hands were busy with groceries when he caught sight of Ember. He pushed his grocery cart and maneuvered his way through the narrow aisle. Their short romance died out, but they stayed friends … not common compared to his past relationships. “Look who it is, my favorite gardener!” He said, greeting her and smiling. “Been seeing you around town with Irza. You look good … happy.” Genuine pleasure crossing his expression at seeing her thriving. "Gotta say, you’ve been picking some questionable coffee spots. That hoity toity place on 4th? Really?”

[emberleon]

the last person that she expected to see was her ex boyfriend and despite that, she had no hard feelings toward the man. sure, they didn't work out but she managed to find someone it was working with and she knew that their short romance, one that felt like it happened ages ago, wasn't meant to last. "hey," she greeted in response, a smile taking over her face. "i am. happy, i mean." she replied, pausing for a moment and then letting out a laugh. "hey! that place is good. don't knock it until you try it. have you ever been?"