martin del rosario & he/they/any / demi-man ‷ watch out , bryce sirilan has crash-landed into roswell !! they look 32 years old and celebrate their birthday on january 20. they are from bacolod, philippines, reside in tripp’s trailer park and are currently working as bartender @ wild pony. one thing you should know about them is they dress up in drag sometimes at planet 7 (for fun, not work). ‷ ( thia, she/her/they, 20, gmt )
HEY besties i’ve got another muse and i love them very much. info under the cut ( tw for discussions of homophobia and general lgbtphobia )
BASICS
full name: bryce sirilan
age: 32
birth date: january 20, 1990
ethnicity: mostly filipino (hiligaynon and bicolano), some amount of white heritage
sexuality: big bisexual... w/ a leaning towards women / fem ppl
relationship status: single
languages spoken: hiligaynon (native), tagalog (fluent), english (fluent), bicolano (basic bc his mom never taught him properly)
pronouns: he/they (but they don’t mind other pronouns like she unless ur being a piece of shit and using them to mock him lmao)
bryce is the oldest sibling and would’ve been the golden child. he was smart and reliable and shit. the problem for his family? bryce was sure that they were Not Cishet from a very young age. probably since kindergarten. they did not like that
speaking as a queer filipino, i know that filipinos tend to treat sexuality and gender as interchangeable. if you’re amab (assigned male at birth) and turn out queer in any way (though honestly i’ve seen this concept be applied to effeminate cishet men too), you’re assumed to be a Gay Man.
and there’s nothing wrong with being a gay man ofc. bryce embraced it tbh, it was their first label. they also fit the usual filipino of a camp gay dude.
i mean, when he decided to change his birth name he considered “carey” bc mariah carey and he’s pretty sure he subconsciously ended up using bryce bc it was a subtle nod to britney spears. (bryce siralan does sound a bit like britney spears, doesn’t it?)
but that wasn’t who bryce was. he’d learn that later.
he abandoned his immediate family to follow his supportive aunt to the usa when he was 13ish? so yeah, he grew up here in roswell.
when he was in his late teens maybe, he met ppl who taught him that sexuality and gender are separate. if you ARE a gay man ofc and you’re campy and everything, there’s nothing wrong w/ that! but your gender expression doesn’t inherently determine your sexuality, he learned. and there’s a whole spectrum of lgbtq+ identities
in that period of time, they thought about it and realized that they were nonbinary and bi.
anyway, they could’ve pursued a hotshot career bc they’re brainy but they don’t want that life.
they grumble about their annoying, mundane job at wild pony sure but lowkey they’re very grateful for it!!! yeah sure it’s boring and stressful but it’s part of the charm for him. just being able to live a normal life is good enough for him
they have enough money to leave tripp’s trailer park rn and fend for himself (and just himself, realistically) but doesn’t want to abandon their aunt & cousins.
yeah he likes to dress up in drag and yes his fc has gifs in drag so tune in
he’s honestly more into women but is much more insecure about pursuing them romantically. for reasons he thinks are obvious -- society doesn’t rly expect a (demi-)guy who can walk perfectly in 6-inch heels to be into women at all.
they’d like to explore their attraction to women more, though. they’re attracted to men/masc-presenting ppl too though! and androgynous peeps.
on that 6-inch heels note: bryce is 6′0″, which is tall but not terrifyingly so. in heels he can be as tall as 6′6″ and seeing ppl get intimidated/startled by it makes him happy njansdjasdjn he’s a troll sometimes srry
“certified Best Kisser and thats why i dated him” --testimony from thee @nfldunn himself KDMSKNDJN
dating gunner in high school kinda left them with abandonment issues rip </3
Nic was doing their best to forget about studying. Too many classes, too much math. And usually they were good at math, but fuck. The Wild Pony had to be their favorite place to drink whenever they were frustrated. Nic watched as the bartender flirted with a lady until they finally noticed them. “Uh… how about a gin and tonic with lime?” Simple to start out with. “Or whatever. I’m not picking. Avoiding work.”
“Are you old enough to drink? Can I see an ID?” Bryce was mostly teasing, but the blond really did remind him of some high school student trying to get some booze. “Work, huh?” they repeated as they prepared their drink. “What do you do for work, then?”
bryce has been crying. the fact that the storm is forcing them to evacuate dredges up bad memories. it’s apparent from the redness of his eyes, but he’s trying to pull himself together. they came to the inn with their aunt and cousins; he needs to be the kuya, the ever-dependable big brother figure. they shouldn’t cry. “i suppose this is a bad time to put on some heels,” they remark, trying to lighten the mood. but it’s halfhearted.
sparrow moore wasn’t always a bitch . they liked to make it seem that way , mostly to protect themselves over anybody else , but the evening had been stressful enough , and so they lowered themself onto the sticky carpet beside bryce , finding it within to be compassionate for what seemed like the first time in their life . “ i wish i’d packed something pretty too . “ they responded , defeated with the one bar of service flashing , dwindling , on their phone screen . with a nudge of their elbow into bryce’s side , sparrow got an idea : “ you wanna come look through the clothes i packed ?? i don’t have any red bottoms , but i have some cool skirts . “
for the first time that day, a smile graced bryce sirilan’s face. “yeah, that’d be cool.” he looked at the slight-framed young person, though, and laughed. compared to their tall, burly frame, it was hard to imagine him fitting very well in their clothes. but it was worth a try, just for fun. “god knows which of your clothes will fit me, if any at all. but i’d like to distract myself with a fashion show.”
Jovi had never experienced anything like this. She figured this was a freak storm to begin with, but she just felt so alone, struggling to do her best without the closest person she had to family in this town (Jaden). She hoped he was okay, but she had to busy herself in the meantime.
“Hey, this might be the best time to put on heels,” determined to put on a brave face, Jovi turned to her new floormate, a forced grin on her face. “We have to keep our spirits up somehow, right?”
“Well, I haven’t brought any. I was joking.” It wasn’t that he didn’t like presenting as more masculine now. Their gender expression was fluid; this was fine, generally. But in such a stressful situation, the idea of putting on some makeup and cute clothes was so appealing. “How are you holding up?” he asked, even though he was barely holding himself together.
sparrow couldn’t think of anything worse than being stuck in a hotel room , away from the other half of their family , having to care of their mother alone with pills and medicines from a rushed bag they had been forced to pack without warning . alev had to be there , somewhere , and they were tracing the winding hallways , something out of the shining , when they stumbled across a red-eyed stranger . “ you .. what ?? “ they mumbled , their phone in one hand as they continued to flick airplane mode on and off , trying to get in touch with their ex , “ please don’t tell me you packed some louboutins as essentials . “
“i was kidding,” bryce replied, sniffing. he tried to steady their voice, hoping it wouldn’t break. that’d make him look pathetic, right? “but i fucking wish i packed some louboutins.” he laughed mirthlessly. “wish i could pack something nice and pretty.”
bryce has been crying. the fact that the storm is forcing them to evacuate dredges up bad memories. it’s apparent from the redness of his eyes, but he’s trying to pull himself together. they came to the inn with their aunt and cousins; he needs to be the kuya, the ever-dependable big brother figure. they shouldn’t cry. “i suppose this is a bad time to put on some heels,” they remark, trying to lighten the mood. but it’s halfhearted.
the wild pony was winter’s escape - when things got to be too much for her, it’s where she usually found herself, looking for just about anything that would give her the chance to forget everything bad rattling around in her head. and because of that - well, she’s familiar enough with bryce and how they are. “cotton candy martini, please?” she hums, plastering a smile on her lips as she leans against the bar. she needs the sweet, pastel colored drink more than anything right now.
“you have good taste,” he replies, facial features softening as they start to prepare the martini. really, he’s nice. they just have their grouchy moments. “how’s your day going?” he asks the younger.
“Nope. Stop pretending to be old,” Grace feigned a yawn, as if she was bored of hearing about his age, wagging one finger at her cousin’s friend. She plugged her Nintendo Switch into an outlet. “Besides, Smash Bros is an easy, timeless classic. We can switch to more intense games later if that’s what you want.”
She flopped on the couch, specifically at a distance that wasn’t far but also wouldn’t be considered weird. She raised an eyebrow at them, “You talk like you’ve never played a game in your life.” She holds out a controller to him, purposefully holding the edge so their hands wouldn’t touch unless Bryce intended them to. Grace liked spending time with Bryce (she invited him over on her birthday instead of celebrating) but it was difficult to try and find the safe place between Weird and Not Weird with them. “I’ll go easy on you. Promise.”
“I mean, yeah, sure. I’ve played Snake on my old Nokia 3301.” He indulged her with a bright smile, though, wordlessly acknowledging her points. When she handed out the controller, their eyes flitted to the strange way she was holding it. He tried to pretend he didn’t notice that. Movies always made having A Vibe between two people seem romantic or sexy, but so far it’d mostly just been awkward with Gracie. “Okay, I trust you.” Looking at the controller, he remarked, “Wow, these are so tiny and sleek. Back in my day™, controllers were so bulky.”
“Um, just a scotch on ice.” Freddie ordered it, giving the other a soft but polite smile. He had trouble with social interactions sometimes, so honestly the bitchy sound of the other’s tone wasn’t really registering to him. He was used to everyone sounding fed up with him even when they really weren’t. “Having a busy night?” He asked, trying to somewhat be a bit social.
“No, not particularly,” replied Bryce, preparing the guy’s drink. “It’s just a normal work night.” But that was a huge part of the bar’s appeal to him, the pleasantly mind-numbing normalcy of everything. “How about you?” they asked, doing small talk out of obligation.
“i feel like all these new games are designed to make me feel as ancient as possible.” he knows they’re not old; he’s only in their early 30s, but these shiny new video games make him feel like he’s about to turn into a fossil.
maybe it’s for the best — it’s a good reminder that he should probably stop admiring how cute gracie is. she’s 25, plus his friend’s cousin. they flash her a soft smile — purely friendly, big-brotherly even. “but i’m still excited for you to teach me about the games you’re playing lately. so... what are they?”
Spruce had never been the type to have long relationships, or relationships at all. Aside from a couple of platonic interactions that had been either about dogs or shared values, few had made it past the friendship part to something else. He had loved his platonic relationships, loved the friendship he had with Cyrus, the way they could talk with Ender now, the tight comfortable feeling around Lillith. Those were powerful by themselves, and they had always been an advocate for friendship rather than romances. They loved the phrase ‘bros before hoes’ or something else gender specific.
Yet, there had been Bryce, and Bryce had added a layer to their reluctance to have any romantic relationships. Because Bryce had wanted what was best for them, and Bryce had destroyed any fate they had in relationships.
And Bryce was standing there now, barely changed, still that confident smile and those soft eyes. And Spruce’s mouth was open and their whole world stopped.
They should’ve known this might happen when they came back.
Bryce froze in his tracks when their eyes laid upon Spruce. Fuck. So suddenly. His smile vanished — not because of he didn’t miss the other, but because they felt so guilty.
For a moment, they considered channeling the queen herself in the 2012 smash hit “Scream & Shout” by will.i.am ft. Britney Spears. Like Britney, he could put on a fake British accent and maybe that’d convince Spruce they’re not actually Bryce. Ha. But he’s not nearly drunk enough to think that’s a good idea. It was a stupid idea. He’d have to, as the song goes, let it all out and acknowledge their ex.
“Huh? No, it’s fine, I was actually just waiting for my turn to be flirted with. I mean, that’s what people come here for, right? Fuck a drink when the bartender’s got those big brown eyes.” Mostly joking, Jude doesn’t even bother to feign interest in their tone, gaze still flitting about with the same almost perpetual boredom they always display. This town might be a whole fucking vibe in terms of inspiration, but Jesus, they’re practically going out of their mind some nights.
“Are you even old enough to be here?” replies Bryce. It’s partly a serious question, because the other looks so young. Probably a Zoomer. However, instinct also tells Bryce not to let anyone outbitch him just like that. But really, anyone who doesn’t back away when he’s in a mood instantly earns his respect. He also thinks the kid’s response is funny. Honestly. “What drink would you like?”
In an effort not to slur her words she over compensates, the intentional spacing sounding far more suspicious than if she’d just let each syllable flow to the next. “There’s a dilf joke in there somewhere but it’s too messy.” One sentence is enough to realize that was a mistake. She drops the act with a cringe peaking over her shoulder to see if Bryce noticed the robotic shift, though her grimace quickly becomes a smile—genuine, then devilish. “Oh, trying to take me home, daddy?” She turns the spray bottle on them then, releasing a splash of sanitizing mist in their direction like punishing a naughty pet. “Down, boy. Down.”
“Hey!” they protest when she spritzes the sanitizing mist in their direction. He finds himself laughing, though, even if he tries to hide it. “I’m trying to take you to a Waffle House,” he corrects her. “I’m so fucking hungry.” It’s true. And he thinks she’ll probably benefit from a nice, peaceful waffle meal with a friend. Or at least they hope she sees them as a friend. With Victoria, he always finds it difficult to tell what she feels about... well, anyone. For all he knows, she hates their guts and just has weirdly sexual ways of expressing it. Not that he minds those on most days, but tonight he just wants to drag her drunk ass to a Waffle House. “So? Are you coming?”
“ sex on the beach, ” spills from her lips before she can even remotely contextualize, but the bar is loud and she’s admittedly not great in spots like this. after all, she’s already elbowed her way through a sea of twenty - somethings just to work her way over here. “ sorry, i didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation, i just … do people still even drink those ? did i just age myself here ? ” cheeks flushed red and eyes wide, she waves her hand and tries again, “ screw it, i’ll just take a shot of tequila, please. ” might as well go down like a champ.
he fails to stifle a brief laugh when she exclaims sex on the beach, but quickly kicks into helpful mode. “el, just get a sex on the beach if you really want it. who cares what the youngins are drinking.” when she orders a tequila, however, they say, “alright! whatever you want.” as he pours the tequila, he comments, “you know... we may not be that young anymore, but it’s a bit early to be entering your mid-life crisis. is that what’s going on here?”
“You should slow down on the drinks,” she counters, tongue poking between her lips as she sprays down the bar and uses a damp, stained rag to start wiping it down, one of only three that was rationed to the front of house for the day. “I’m totally fine. Everyone’s gone anyway.” She sees a shadow outside the diffused glass door between the stickers and graffiti, the last of the lingerers loitering out front with their cigarettes. “Or, almost gone. Think if we switched to a 24 hour thing they’d stay all night?” She sprays down the same section of the bar, wiping it again before realizing her mistake and shifting downward, slightly farther from their poking and prodding, only swaying slightly on her feet. “Are you okay? Dad?”
“Probably. The average customer thrives off our misery.” He says, “But seriously, take it easy.” They scoff. “‘Dad’?” He shakes his head. “Time flies, huh. One moment, I’m a wild young thing. The next, I’m a single father of one. I guess it’s inevitable; I do sound like my Dad.” Complete with the deep, sonorous voice and everything, except Bryce is far from a conservative, cis-hetero Catholic. “Do you want to come with me when we’re done here?"
