Not everyone can say theyâve been to the Big Apple, but  [ JACK DERIAN ], a [ 43 ] year-old [ MALE ] has lived in [ NEW YORK, BROOKLYN ] for [ FORTY THREE YEARS ]. This is the city of dreams and [ HE ] knows it, because they came to NYC to be an [ OWNER OF DERIAN CONSTRUCTION]. Well, that and as an [ EX-HUSBAND #4 ] to [ VALLETTA CAMBRIDGE ]. Living in the city means they meet all kinds of people, but everyone always seems to think they look like [ JOE MANGANIELLO]. They even got away with free cab fare once because of it!
basic
Full Name: Jack Domenico Derian
Nickname(s): Jack
Age: Forty-three
Height: 6âČ5âł
Gender & Pronouns: Cis-male & he/him
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Residential Area: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation:Â Owner of Derian Construction, philanthropist
Relationship status: Single (divorced)
tw: divorce, death
bio
The oldest child in an immigrant family, Jack grew up torn between two worlds, from helping his parents translate official documents, to trying to belong among the people who still viewed him as an outsider.
Despite that, the family was tight-knit, and close to each other. His father was constantly busy with work as a construction worker, and his mother was often found babysitting the neighborhoodâs kids, leaving Jack to look after his own siblings.
After graduating high school, the money was tight, and the path Jack had to take was straight forward; he was set to follow his fatherâs footsteps, much to his dislike. There was so much he wanted to do, a whole world he wanted to explore, but it was simply not up to his decision, and after plenty of arguments, he finally agreed to it.
Slowly, Jack taught himself how to accept the inevitable and live with it. Years, then decades passed as he became better and better at his job. He still stuck close to his family, focusing on working and making sure that they were well-taken care of.
While he wanted a family of his own, desperately, it didnât seem to work out for him. A few years after high school, he met a beautiful, kind, gentle girl. It wasnât long before Jack fell head over heels for her, and it took even less for the two of them to get married.Â
There was one big problem with their marriage, however; as quickly as Jack wanted to have a family, she didnât, despite never once bringing that up before their marriage. Eventually, they agreed to wait until she would be comfortable, and Jack was far too gone to say no.
Years passed, and the Derian family never once brought a child of their own into the world. Slowly but surely, the husband and wife drifted apart, wasting their best years onto each other for a reason they couldnât find. Finally, after many tears, arguments, and two broken hearts, they decided to get a divorce.
The divorce led Jack to moving back to his parentsâ place, knowing that both he and they needed plenty of support. He stayed there for a while, working with his father in construction and helping his mother out with whatever she needed. As his fatherâs health declined and he eventually passed away, he remained with his mother, supporting her through everything.
A few years ago, on a complete whim, Jack had gone out and bought himself a lottery ticket. He never believed that he would ever win something- luck was clearly not on his side- so when he woke up the next day and went over to the local store to check it, he was floored. He was had won millions of dollars, completely out of the blue, and for once, things were going his way.
Once the initial shock and happiness wore off, he knew he had to act smart with it. Refusing to advertise his luck, he slowly figured a way how to get about it. Taking care of his mother was his first step, and then, after some discussions, he decided to establish his own construction company, figuring it would be a great way to honour his late father. Things were starting to look up for Jack, and he slowly allowed himself to give into his desires, to actually celebrate his life a little.
So when Valletta, a beautiful woman appeared in his life, he figured that luck still was on his side. Just as with his previous marriage, the two fell in love quickly, and got married just as quick. His mother was dubious of the relationship, but Jack was happy, and in love.
Just as with everything in his life, happiness didnât last long. A marriage he thought would be a loving one, ended up being a complete lie when Jack stumbled upon the information of Vallettaâs ex husbands. Hurt, knowing that he was only just another number for her- and probably just an additional bank acocunt- Jack filed for divorce.
Despite expecting plenty of money to be taken away from, that didnât happen. While he knew he should have questioned it, having had expected Valletta to wipe him clean, none of it happened, yet it didnât make Jackâs heartbreak any easier. He was hurt, and it pained him to know that the woman he loved had seen him as nothing more than a money bag.
Trying to deal with his own pain, he decided to start donating his money. Plenty of it went to childrenâs hospitals and care homes, and to just about anywhere where Jack knew help was needed. While his company made plenty of money, he made a point of making sure that every single penny he had won in the lottery was now donated, hoping that it would help himt o finally get rid of his bad luck.
BLUEBELL MADONNA arrived on Jackâs place, carrying a bag of groceries, so theyâd have Italianâs night. Itâd be great to having someone that could share her ânationalityâ. The blonde had an stressful day, and she hasnât sleep at all, even dark circles appearing on her face. She wore a sunglasses, resting on the doorframe, ringing on his doorbell. The Italian blonde brought alcohol, perhaps a dosage of alcohol would make her sleep.
Despite the big family dinners as often as possible, it was nice, knowing someone who shared similar heritage, who could tell him stories about the country he knew so little about. So when Bluebell Madonna moved into his building, Jack was quick to strike a friendship, bonding just as quickly and coming up with a small tradition of their own; Italian nights. And tonight was just one of those nights, so whne he heard a doorbell, Jack oved quick to open the door, still in his work suit. âHey,â He greeted the shorted blonde with a smile. âCome on in. Not gonna lie, Iâm starving.â
Kennedy eyed the man warily. It seemed personal, whatever his guy was yelling about. He couldnât put his finger on it, so he jerked his head to the side. âTen bucks says that guy comes back on Monday, not remembering he was fired,â Kennedy joked, holding out a hand. He always wanted to bring those tensions down, if he could. He even privately felt he was pretty good at it, as long as it wasnât his own mess.
It was only then that he got a real look at the guy, blinking in the sun. He couldnât be sure, but⊠âHey, youâre Jack, right?â he asked. It had been a bit since heâd seen him around familiar circles. âI think we met a couple times. Friend of Valleyâs,â he identified himself. He didnât say exactly how close they had been in the past year, and it wasnât like Kennedy needed those particular rumors unearthed. But it was history by now anyway.
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âNot even gonna bet on it, cause youâre fucking spot on.â Jack grumbled, still angry as he watched the man walk away from the site, knowing that he had to keep an eye on it for the next few days. Not many were stupid enough to take risks like that, but it happened, and Jack didnât want to upset his workers. They worked hard as it was, and to have some jackass ruin their day further wasnât something he wanted to happen.
âWhat?â Jack had been distracted, overthinking the possibilities until the man spoke up again, catching his attention. Finally, he focused back on the other, frowning a little. âFriend of Valleyâs?â There was a single thought that came to his mind, an awful one, and it took a second for the man to shake it off. âYeah, Iâm Jack, but.. sorry, what was your name?â Now that he was taking a better look at the man, he seemed familiar, but he couldnât figure out why. âYou do look familiar.â
who: @jack-derianâ
where: a plane, still on the tarmac of jfk
what: in which there are no other seats available
Valley regretted requesting a window seat now. She regretted almost everything about this entire day. She should have rescheduled this whole trip as soon as sheâd seen Jack at the airport - sheâd thought, there was no way theyâd be on the same flight. And then, when it was clear they were on the same flight, there was no way theyâd be seated anywhere close to each other. But now here she was, crammed between a small airplane window and all seven feet of her ex-husband, for who knows how many hours this torture device would be in the sky. If they ever even left the ground, at this rateâŠ
She huffed, and fidgeted, and wondered why neither of them had said so much as a hello yet. It was so awkward. Even the first time theyâd seen each other after the divorce, things hadnât been this awkward. It had been tense, and painful, then, but this⊠the painful memories were squished now beneath the memory of his body on hers at the beach, and - okay no, she could not start thinking about that and blushing right now on this godforsaken plane.
Just to break the horrific silence, she said (unsure whether she meant it to be sarcastic or sincere), âYouâre not following me, are you, Jack?â
Jack was late. He was late the whole damn day; his alarm clock didnât work, and he was late to the meeting. He was late to the next meeting because of the damn traffic. He was late to the plane because the meeting he was late to lasted longer than expected, and he was left to hurry around the airport, barely managing to catch a breath. He was hungry, he was tired, and he was annoyed, so when he saw glanced of who he could only assume was his ex-wife, he wrote it off to his emotions that day. Surely, that was the only reason why Valley was appearing seemingly out of nowhere everywhere he looked?
His eyes were focused on his phone as he checked in, passed the security, and had the passport check before boarding the plane. His eyes remained on his phone as he walked down the planeâs aisle, only glancing over at the numbers above the seats, wanting to quickly locate his spot so he could settle down and respond to a few more emails before it was time to take off.
However, it wasnât the emails that was on his mind when Jack finally found his seat.
Life drained out of his face when he looked at his ex, then back at his ticket. Then over the awfully-small plane (how were these still flying nowadays?), taking in just how full it was.
Fuck. Was he supposed to sit next to Valley?
Things werenât bad between the two of them, but they were awkward. Awkward as hell. And he was quick to take the bait as she questioned him, frowning in return. âWhy the hell would I do that?â He questioned her back, focusing on this rather than the memories of their most-recent night together. âWhat are you doing here?â
Owen gave a nod of his head in thanks as he took a seat, sitting his bagel and coffee on the table. His eyes still on the other man, watching his mouth before he gave an amused snort of laughter. With a shake of his head, Owen held up a finger, telling him to wait a second, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. With swift fingers, his typed out quickly, turning it back around so the other could read. So not here to take pictures of the screens. Just a man wondering why he didnât crawl back to his apartment in Brooklyn and what the hell possessed him to spend free time in the middle of Times Square, Granted he liked spending time in Manhattan, he had nothing against it but didnât get the appeal of Times Square itself. Maybe he was simply immune to it having lived around the boroughs for his entire life. Owen gave another shrug of his shoulders before he turned his phone back around once more, quickly typing. Thanks for letting me steal your free seat, appreciate it.Â
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Jack waited curiously, letting the man type up a message before reading quickly, a grin slowly appearing on his face. âYouâre from Brooklyn too? Gotta respect that.â He nodded along, glancing back at his phone and reluctantly answering another email or two. They never ended, and he absolutely loathed it. Would it not be easier to just get on with the business and do the job, rather than mull over it in writing? âYou good with me typing too? Thereâs so much damn noise out there, I feel like going Iâm going nuts. And I work in construction.â Jack added jokingly, his eyes once again shifting to the tourists. He knew he should be thankful that the city was bringing in so much attention, but would he really be a good New Yorker if he didnât complain. Donât worry about it. What are you doing in this forsaken place? He typed, having had grown accustomed to it over the years of working in the office.
Another successful app launch meant Luna felt a celebration was well deserved. Since she was a child, one of her favorite splurges had always been a deep dish from Uno Pizzeria and Bar. While she enjoyed pampering as much as anyone, there really was no more proper way to treat herself than greasy food. After putting in her order, Luna caught sight of a familiar face across the bar. Feeling extra generous, she waved them over from her table, knowing the gargantuan pizza on itâs way would only be half eaten at most. Sure, she could take home the leftovers, but she was in a chatty mood.
âAny chance you wanna split a deep dish with me?â She offered as they came closer. âMy treat. This is just gonna be so massive, and Lord knows I donât need to finish it myself.â
Jack liked to cook, and it was a simple as that. He loved food- it showed- he loved creating something amazing out of something simple, but Jack loved going out to get takeaway just as much. With life as busy as his, it was bound to happen far more frequently, so when he ended up at Uno Pizzeria and Bar, it was just another day for the an. What he wasnât expecting, however, as he was reviewing the menu to pick something to order, was someone else offering their part of the portion to him.
âYou sure? I havenât tried the deep dish pizzas here.â Jack admitted with a smile. When was he ever one to say no to pizza? âAinât nothing wrong with eating a whole pizza by yourself sometimes, you know.â
Each morning was getting a little easier. If by little easier, one meant that Kennedy was able to ignore how his life was in complete shambles. Moved out of his home, with some possessions and clothes in storage before he signed a new lease...Kennedy struggled to find rays of hope in the dreariness.
He took a deep breath as he stepped out of the hotel, eager to get some fresh air on the Sunday afternoon. But soon enough, he noticed someone in an argument with one of the many construction workers that milled around. Before Kennedy could check if he even knew them or not, before he could tell if it was someone telling off the guy for catcalling, for making way too much noise on a Sunday, or something entirely different, he made the decision to step forward. "Hey," he said, his voice gentle, eager for any sort of human connection these days. "You all right?"
While Jack didnât exacty work at the construction sites anymore, but he liked to stop by, unannounced, to check how things were going. Most of the time, all was fine, and he could provide some valuable feedback to his workers; today, however, was slightly different. Coming in, he was quick to spot one of his employees, drunk out of his mind, and making one error after another, that could easily cost him hundreds of thousands dollars. The worker refused to leave, causing a scene, bringing more attention than it was needed for a Sunday afternoon.
âGet the fuck out of my site. You step a single step here, and I fucking swear, I will make sure you canât get a job not just in this State, but in the whole fucking country.â Jack growled as the man finally started to step back, realising what was happening. âLeave. Now!â It was the final word and the man finally scrambled to leave, just as someone else showed up to the scene. Not really paying that much attention, Jack kept his focus on his now ex-employee, making sure he was actually leaving. âEverythingâs fine.â
âIâm sorry, hes out of office right now.â Katie said as she kept her eyes focused on the screen in front of her. Klaus had decided to take the afternoon off, so the woman was trying to get everything rearranged so his whole schedule wouldnât get fucked up. It was a miracle he survived this long without her honestly. âif you want to make an appointment though youâre more than welcome to.â
âSeriously?â Jack huffed in annoyance, in no way directing it towards the girl. His scheduling was unbelievably packed today, and even doing something as simple as getting all the way to the manâs office was taxing. âHe was supposed to be meeting me now, why the hell did he not at least call? Or warn that heâd be out?â
Usually Owen tended to spend a less amount of time as he could when it came to being in Times Square. He tended to dart through it as fast as he could, not wanting to be right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of tourists. But today, for whatever reason, he wasnât in such of a hurry. Instead, he had settled on grabbing a bagel and a drink from somewhere. To simply just sit and watch as life went on around him, observing the people that passed by. However, and really, he should have expected it, even the bagel shop was crowded shoulder to shoulder full of people. Half of him knew he could take it to go, could walk until he stumbled upon a park or hell, just hop on the subway and book it back home. But it was one of those days where he didnât want to sit and look at the walls of his apartment. So Owen made his way through the crowd of people, finally seeing a table that only had one person sat at it and a free chair. As someone who was outgoing and didnât think twice of striking up conversations with strangers, he gave a nod towards the chair. Not really looking to see if he knew the person or not, silently asking them if he could take a seat.
With his business mainly based in Brooklyn, Jack preferred to stay there. It was his home, the place he grew up in, the place he cherished so deeply. However, at the same time, his business was expanding, crossing over to the island, working on more and more expensive projects. So, he was bound to visit Manhattan more frequently, attend weird meetings he saw no point in; after all, he couldâve just gotten his team to start working on it, get things sorted out. Then again, this was Manhattan, a place where everything was different. It was painfully obvious as he sat in Times Square, observing dozens and dozens of tourists, taking pictures of the same flashing screens again and again. People watching was getting painfully boring painfully quick, so Jack shifted his attention to his phone, answering one email after another, until another distraction presented itself in the shape of a man, asking to take a seat. âGo for it. As long as youâre not here to take pictures of the flashing screens.â Jack joked a little dryly.
where: somewhere in New York
what: Beau is helping your character move some furniture, or maybe both of them got roped into helping someone else!Â
âSeriously, next time I offer to be a good person, I need you to remind me to ask how many flights of stairs there are first. I am sweating so hard right nowâŠâ
âCome on, man.â Jack grunted as he shifted the couch, so it would squeeze through the tight spot. Why had he agreed to this, really? âThink of it as a good workout, okay? Itâs not that bad. Just.. okay, fuck me, Iâd rather be in a gym.â
Fine, she was willing to admit Jack was more than his gruff, masculine exterior. Any man who could confess to crying over a dog clearly wasnât all bad. âFuck, I want to, but where will I keep it when Iâm at work all night? I canât leave âem in my apartment. That would kill me.â
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âBring them to work, with you. Keep the jackasses away withut having to interfere yourself.â Jack reasoned with a shrug. No matter what, dogs united people, there was no doubt there. And he was more than willing to do that for the sake of puppies. âDogs always make things better.â
Ren raised an eyebrow, but then slowly nodded. âYou know what⊠that actually checks out. If I had to picture the type of human to listen to something called Pirate Metal, I feel like my mind would create⊠this,â she smirked, gesturing to this manâs entire being. âQuestion - if I put this record on right now, whatâs the likelihood that youâll swordfight with me? Pretty good?â
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âYeah? You think I could pull off being a pirate?â Jack mused for a moment, a grin eventuall spreading on his face. A partly unbuttoned shirt and cool pants, along with a sword? Yeah, he could go for that. Heâd just really have to grow his hair out, but why not? âYou mean to tell me that you just happen to have two swords for that? Cause if thatâs the case, then hell yeah Iâll do it.â
who: open @exclusivestartersâ
where: renâs favourite record store in the bronx
âI come here multiple times a month, and Iâve never seen this sectionâŠâ Ren said, sifting through a pile of what was probably the most eclectic selection of random albums sheâd ever come across. âAre these labels at the top supposed to be the genres? What the hell is Pirate Metal? âŠI need to listen to this immediately.â
âWhat the fuck?â Jack questioned the woman, and to a complete stranger, he would have been intimidating. But his tone was joking, and a smile that came with it showed anything but anger. âWhat do you mean- you donât know what Pirate Metal is? Itâs only one of the most epic genres out there!â
âToday, I saw a puppy on the street, and I straight up just almost started crying.â She loved dogs, but this was like a whole new level. Work stress was wreaking havoc on her emotions. âDo you wanna go to the humane society with me?â
âCanât blame you. This little old man makes me want to tear up on a daily basis.â Jack grinned as he continued to scratch behind Biscuitâs ear, who was content in the manâs arms. âWhy would I ever say no to that? If I do that, just throw me away, cause Iâm clearly not right in the mind.â
   It was irritating enough that the barista would have ruined his drink all because theyâd decided to half-listen to his order had he not corrected her. Twice. On top of that, they didnât take their customersâ names, they were forced to yell out the drink order rather than call out names whenever something was ready. In waiting, his mind had wandered off, so the barista had to repeat themselves before Jason realized his order was being called. Only just as he approached the bar and began reaching for it, his beverage was snatched up by someone else. âExcuse me, but thatâs mine,â he said calmly, though some tension could be heard in his voice. // @jack-derianâ
Jack had a set schedule he liked to adhere to. Wake up. Feed Biscuit. Go on a run with Biscuit. Get dressed. Go to work. Grab a coffee on the way to work. It was simple, it was cliche, but he liked it, and it clearly worked for him. What didnât work, obviously, was changing the places he went for coffee every other month.
The coffee place he had been trying out now was a clear disaster, and it was getting on his nerves. The orders were constantly late, so when his was finally called, he was actually relieved. Were they seriously waiting for coffee beans to mature, at this point? Because it surely felt that way. Walking through the crowd of people who were clearly in a similar situation, Jack picked his drink up, only to be interrupted by someone else. âWhat?â He grumbled, a little annoyed because he needed his coffee. At this point, he was desperate. âThatâs my order, man. You gotta wait another eternity for yours.â
Julianna hadnât climbed a tree in years but here she was, stubbornly scraping her knees against bark to reach a kitten who was stuck. If she could get it down then she wouldnât have to call anyone to help her but, once the scrawny thing was in her arms, she realized that sheâd have far more trouble getting down than climbing up. Lucky for her, someone was walking by the large tree and she could call out to them for help. âHey!â She shouted down, the scrawny cat shivering in her arms at the loud noise. She shushed them gently, petting behind their ears. âIâm in need of some help up here, if youâd be so kindâŠâÂ
Nowadays, it wasnât often than Jack had to visit construction sites, but every single time he had to, he loved it. It reminded him of the good old times, it reminded him of the days when he would come home exhausted but happy that he had done something significant. Today, he hoped that it would be one of those days; and as he came across a voice coming from- weirdly enough- a tree, making him look up. âHi?â He spoke, or questioned the situation as his eyebrows went up in surprise. âWere you bringing your cat up for a better view?â
