If I am a villain, it’s because Peter made me one, because Peter needs to be the shining sun that all the world turns around. Peter needed to be a hero, so somebody needed to be a villain.
- Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry
James’s goal is to be successful. Orphaned at a young age, he’s fought tooth and nail for everything he has, and he’s frustrated by the fact that so far all he has to show for it is a low-end motel in a small town. He knows he should be glad that he’s his own boss and the motel is completely his, but he’s still not satisfied. He wants more. More success, more money, more power.
He’s not a completely uncaring man, he just has his priorities and they tend to take precedence over everything, including people. He doesn’t tend to trust people easily, always expecting an angle because he’s always working an angle of his own.
~ Connections ~
William Smee ~ James’s manager and right hand man. He goes to Smee for advice or to hear confirmation that his own decisions are the right ones. He’s the closest thing to a friend James’s has, which he finds pretty pathetic.
Peter Pan ~ James has mixed feelings about Peter. He sees something of himself in the young man and hates to see him wasting away his potential. He allows him to crash at the motel now and then, but expects Peter to work for his room and board, which the other refuses to do, which frustrates James even more.
Eyes: Blue | Green | Brown | Hazel | Grey | Other
Hair: Blonde | Brown | Black | Red | Ginger | Grey/White | Multi-color | Other
Body Type: Skinny | Slender | Slim | Built | Curvy | Athletic | Muscular
Skin: Pale | Light | Fair | Freckled | Tan | Olive | Medium | Dark | Discolored
Gender: Male | Female | Trans | Cis | No Gender | Other
Sexuality: Heterosexual | Homosexual | Bisexual | Pansexual | Asexual | Demisexual | Other
Species: Human | Undead/Vampire | Shapeshifter (Weres) | Demon | Angel | Witch/Wizard/Sorcerer | Incubus/Succubus | Other
Education: High School | College | University | Higher Education
Living Situation: Lives alone | Lives with parents/guardian | Lives with significant other | Lives with a friend | Drifter | Homeless | Boarding school
Parents/Guardian: Mom | Dad | Adoptive | Foster | Grandparents | Family friend | none
Relationship: Single | Crushing | Dating | Engaged | Married | Separated | It’s still complicated
I’ve been: In Love | Hurt | dealing with a crush | Sick | Abused | stabbed
I have a(n): Learning Disorder | Personality Disorder | Mental Disorder | Anxiety Disorder | Eating Disorder | Substance-related Disorder | none of these
Things I’ve done before: Drank alcohol | Smoked | Done drugs | Stolen | Self harmed | Starved myself | Had sex | Had a threesome | Gotten into a fist fight | Gone to the hospital | Gone to jail | Used a fake ID | Gone to a rave | Killed someone
Positive Traits: Affectionate | Adventurous | Athletic | Brave | Careful | Charming |Confident | Creative | Determined | Fearless | Generous | Honest | Humorous | Intelligent | Loyal | Modest | Patient | Selfless
Negative Traits: Aggressive | Bossy | Cynical | Envious | Fearful | Greedy | Gullible | Jealous | Impatient | Impulsive | Insecure | Irresponsible | Possessive | Sarcastic | Self-conscious | Selfish | Unstable
Eyes: Blue | Green | Brown | Hazel | Grey | Other
Hair: Blonde | Brown | Black | Red | Ginger | Grey/White | Multi-color | Other
Body Type: Skinny | Slender | Slim | Built | Curvy | Athletic | Muscular
Skin: Pale | Light | Fair | Freckled | Tan | Olive | Medium | Dark | Discolored
Gender: Male | Female | Trans | Cis | No Gender | Other
Sexuality: Heterosexual | Homosexual | Bisexual | Pansexual | Asexual | Demisexual | Other
Species: Human | Undead/Vampire | Shapeshifter (Weres) | Demon | Angel | Witch/Wizard/Sorcerer | Incubus/Succubus | Other
Education: High School | College | University | Higher Education
Living Situation: Lives alone | Lives with parents/guardian | Lives with significant other | Lives with a friend | Drifter | Homeless | Boarding school
Parents/Guardian: Mom | Dad | Adoptive | Foster | Grandparents | Family friend | none
Relationship: Single | Crushing | Dating | Engaged | Married | Separated | It’s complicated
I’ve been: In Love | Hurt | dealing with a crush | Sick | Abused | stabbed
I have a(n): Learning Disorder | Personality Disorder | Mental Disorder | Anxiety Disorder | Eating Disorder | Substance-related Disorder | none of these
Things I’ve done before: Drank alcohol | Smoked | Done drugs | Stolen | Self harmed | Starved myself | Had sex | Had a threesome | Gotten into a fist fight | Gone to the hospital | Gone to jail | Used a fake ID | Gone to a rave | Killed someone
Positive Traits: Affectionate | Adventurous | Athletic | Brave | Careful | Charming |Confident | Creative | Determined | Fearless | Generous | Honest | Humorous | Intelligent | Loyal | Modest | Patient | Selfless
Negative Traits: Aggressive | Bossy | Cynical | Envious | Fearful | Greedy | Gullible | Jealous | Impatient | Impulsive | Insecure | Irresponsible | Possessive | Sarcastic | Self-conscious | Selfish | Unstable
James actually has no issues being flirty with people, however talking about his emotions or how he feels is something completely different. Love is actually very hard for him, he finds it terrifying to attach himself to a single person after being thrown away as a child. Unlike some of the orphans who don’t remember much about their parents, James entered the orphanage when he was six years old. He was told by his own mother that he was thrown away, a burden, worthless and this was his punishment for being just that. The reason being a divorce between her and his father.
If his own parents are capable of abandoning him, why would his lover remain? For that sole reason alone, James had made an oath with himself that he would never fall in love.
Summary: James is interviewing a potential new employee, intrigued by the application form she filled out incorrectly in green glitter gel pen. Tina, a sparky nineteen year old, somehow gets the job.
Date: October 8th, 2021. (Canon Date: Unknown. Pending.)
It was an average day, one with some applications that were not really considered his time. It was hard to find someone willing to spend as many hours as he requested. More than that, he didn’t find anyone who was willing to do some simple tasks such as making beds, filling the bathroom with soap bars, managing the desk, clean up after the client. Most of them liked the idea of standing behind the desk, but refused to work as ‘a maid’.
And then there was the annoyance of characteristics, they weren’t professional - such as the person who dared to write their job application in glitter pen nonetheless. She was the one he’d be seeing in ten minutes - well actually she should have been here five minutes ago but James believed there was always a potential reason that something could have come up.
Then there was a knock on the door, and Smee greeted him with a smile. “Miss Bell has arrived.” He looked at his watch - fifteen minutes late. Well here goes nothing.
Never, ever, ever in her nineteen years of life Tina Bell think she would get to the point of needing a real life, actual job. Like, a job-job. Sure, she knew you needed money and stuff to get by but graduating high school had been a real kick in the teeth when she realised that she had to, you know, do other stuff. Mary certainly wouldn't keep her forever, and she had swore to Peter that as soon as she had her own disposable income then she would be able to help him out a little. He had been put up in a hotel for a while, but damnit he really needed socks and snacks and all that stuff until he could find a job and somewhere else to stay.
Now, the one (of many) downsides to the job thing was actually managing to get past the interview stage, of which Tina had barely made it to three of them, and secured herself exactly none of the offered jobs. Her best bet, she thought, might be the hotel Peter was staying at, and on her way home from leaving Peter she had top-secretly shoved one in her bag and filled it out (with a very lovely pen!) When the interview date and time came in the post she was surprised, given her friend's penchant for mischief, but she figured the owner pirate dude didn't know it was her application he had approved.
Tina rocked up a few minutes late, dressed in her best, hair in a perfect little bun and a pretty shiny lipgloss she bought just for the occasion. (It was Peter's fault she was late. An accident!!) A grumpy worker went to the office to announce her arrival, but she followed him instead if waiting in the lobby like asked, peaking her little sparkly head around him with a smile.
"Morning!" First impressions were important. She had to look chipper.
Well as first expressions gone, he could see that she was a well-dressed girl at least. Who was he trying to kid, she had lip gloss on her face and her hair in a bun, she looked like she was fresh out of college, a kid. “Morning Miss Bell I hope you didn’t have any trouble finding the way?” He asked as a way to figure out why in dear heavens she was late. Didn’t she know it was super unprofessional to be late on a job interview, even the girls he had rejected were 30 minutes early. Not even that she entered the room as if she greeted an old friend, rather than her future employer.
His fingers tapped on the wooden desk as he stood up to pull out the chair for her and pointed for her to take a seat. She was pretty, he’d give her that - young but pretty. If James Hook had a type she might even come close to it, yet he shook that thought away. James Hook didn’t do love, he didn’t deserve such a thing, in fact, he had steeled himself from it in order to not get hurt.
“Can I get you anything to drink, a glass of water - soda - something stronger?” Another test to see if she was capable of rejecting temptation, there were plenty of these tests today and she already failed the beginning of the test.
He waited for her answer, his eyes glancing through the window, then back at the clock. He’d give her 30 minutes of his time, nothing more - perhaps less.
“Let’s discuss your application shall we.” He said with a smile as he pulled out the glittery document. “But first tell me a little bit about yourself.”
Tina waved the Mr Smee guy away as he left, thinking she was being very polite for doing so. Aunt Mary had given her a lecture about her manners the night before, half listened to in between trying to find a pair of shoes that would make her look a little taller. She was painfully aware that her height didn't make her look much older than a nine year old, and last time she checked nine year olds didn't have jobs. When her interviewer pulled out her seat she smiled just as politely and plopped herself down, clasping her hands on her lap so she couldn't fidget. "Oh no, I found it fine.. I've been here before, it's not that hard to find. The sign outside is bright enough, you can see it half way over town!" Clearly she was clueless to the question really being asked.
"Stronger than soda?" Tina asked, confused for a moment. "Like-- Oh! You're allowed to drink on the job here..?" Oh no. No, she could tell she was already gonna blow this. "I mean-- No. No, I'm fine thank you."
Tina took a moment to look at the man sitting behind the desk ask he looked over her application (total pirate type, decent eyebrows, definitely a grump). She had to admit that the gel pen looked excellent! Definitely memorable. That's what she was going for. And now she got to talk about herself! Tina loved doing that.
"Do I just tell you, like, anything?" She asked, folding one knee over the other. "Uh, well I'm Tina, obviously. I'm nineteen and I just started studying cosmetology. My favourite colour is green, and I'm actually taller than I look, my proportions just make me look deceptively small."
James had a hard time trying not to chuckle at the way she waved at Smee. If he were to hire her he could tell his dear friend wouldn’t be too pleased. THAT did give him a reason to hire her because he loved to be a pain in Smee’s ass. But he wanted someone capable, and this woman/girl in front of him didn’t really seem to be about that. So she knew the place, he wondered why she was late then? Well, he decided to forgive her for that because she amused him in a way.
“No, drinking wouldn’t be allowed on the job.” James agreed. “But you haven’t gotten the position yet, so no harm would have been done.” He looked over the papers once more and decided not to say anything. She did put some interesting things on her application form, like how she was twenty-five. And not nineteen. How she had graduated and not was still studying. Basically, the gel-filled paper was filled with things that made him question, well a lot.
“So are you married, Miss Bell?” James asked. “Do you have a partner?” This was for the amount of money she’d receive, if she were to be single she’d receive more than someone in a relationship.
“Also, are you willing to do physical labour?”
Tina leaned back in her chair slightly, trying to look a little more relaxed. The reality was that she could tell her nerves were getting the better of her because she was already putting her foot well into her mouth. One day she would learn to think before she spoke, but today was apparently not that day.
"So I could drink in the interview then?" She asked, this time just to be funny. Someone had told her you weren't actually supposed to take anything offered at an interview, which she thought was stupid, but she didn't want that to be the thing that blew her shot. "Not that I would. Obviously."
The fidgeting started when she realised she would have to give genuine answers, having completely forgotten what she had even written in her application. She had filled out at last 30 by that point and had started bullshitting her way through them. And just as had always given her away, the faintest pink blush spread across her cheeks when Mr. Hook asked if she was married. "Ew, no, I'm definitely not married," Tina answered quickly. "Or partner..ed…" Partner in Crime didn't count. "I'm just on my todd, in student accommodation."
Tina very nearly snorted when he asked about physical labour, but managed to control herself. "Listen, Sir, I'll do anything if it means I have a job…" Hey, she had already blown it, would this really make it worse?
James watched her like a hawk would do its prey. Her hands slightly trembled which made him realize she was probably someone who couldn’t sit very still. That was a good thing cause that means she could keep herself occupied when working- curses here he was actually considering offering her the job.
“I certainly wouldn’t have minded,” James said. “But you aren’t legal to drink so - let’s not get ourselves into trouble.” He added with a little wink.
His eyebrow raised when she admitted to not being married, she sounded like it wasn’t something she’d ever want to do. Not that it was any of his business, nor that he actually cared about the fact. But when she said she didn’t have a partner, he was genuinely surprised. She was an attractive young lady and from what he had noticed about her she seemed to be quite fun to be around. The gel-pen paper told him she might even be mischievous.
There was something about her that James couldn’t shake, sure she was the worst applicant that had shown themselves today, and he really shouldn’t give her this job because he knew deep down that it wouldn’t end well. But he could fire her if she didn’t do a proper job. He told himself. The more she answered the more James began to think that this girl was actually interesting. “Well I do am curious as to what anything means, but I guess I’ll find that out. Congrats Miss Bell you have the job.” James didn’t get many interesting things in his life, so when this girl came into his office he could sense interesting things were bound to happen with her. Perhaps that was exactly what he needed.
“When can I be expecting you.” Yes, he certainly would love to see her again.
Tina looked everywhere but Mr. Hook's face whenever she didn't expressly have to. For a pirate, he seemed one of the more intimidating ones, as he kept his eyes on her. Tina and authority didn't generally mix and she could only hope that he wouldn't be as horrendous as her teachers had been in school, or the occasional police officer she had given a mouthful to. If she didn't need a job so badly she wouldn't have been here trying her luck. Really, by the raised eyebrow she thought he would be far too strict to ever even consider her, no matter how charming his (obviously just being polite) smile was. "No trouble," she said (nèe lied), eyes darting quickly to the hem of her skirt when she caught his wink.
She looked back up again finally when he asked what anything could mean, her mouth running just too quickly to completely catch it. "I'll do anything but suck a--" Luckily sense hit her in spades just on time. Tina coughed. Not interview appropriate! No wonder her teachers were driven demented by her. "Uh. I mean… I mean, I won't suck at whatever job I have to do. Like answering the phones and delivering pillows and sh--stuff." In her apparent blind panic when hadn't even heard the job offer. Her eyes widened, she sat up a little straighter.
"Wait-- are you joking?"
Oh God, the guy was an idiot. She could feel it!
It was amusing to see that this girl was intimidated by him, most women (and men) found him rather charming. Then again, with his disinterest, they quickly turned away for someone that was in fact interested in him. Aside from that one kid that proclaimed his love to him years ago - he still showed up from time to time offering him bread ‘because the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’
Yeah, he wasn’t James type.
He nodded as she told him no trouble, he was expecting some trouble from her. Not that he would voice his suspicions. As long as she didn’t steal it should be alright, and since he managed the finances - well that would make stealing from him quite hard.
He raised his eyebrow once more when she said that she would do anything but suck a- and paused to regain herself. His heart hammered in his chest for a reason that was not yet known to him. Did he fancy her? OH...he was.
That could be troubling, but then again he could steer away from her and hide in his office. This didn’t have to mean anything.
“Yes, Miss Bell. You got the job. You are hired.” He repeated as if he had to explain to a four-year-old why the round circle didn’t fit in the square. “Congrats.”
Vain though she may have been, Tina had to wonder how absolutely God awful the other interviewees had been (if there had been any) if Mr. Hook was so quick to hire her. Though she knew she could, in fact, do the job, she had to wonder what the hell he had even seen in her. Maybe Peter had bribed him. Maybe Mary had!
Tina shifted forward in her seat, leaning her elbows on the office desk and her chin in the palm of her hand. "Can I, uh… get that in writing?" She asked with a bashful little grin, tapping a chipped sparkly fingernail on the paper in front of them. "Because there's no way, like, anyone is gonna believe me if I don't have hard proof."
Maybe she would regret getting the contract. She was only a hard worker when she wanted to be, and having this over her head couldn't be good. But Peter… she needed the job for Peter. If she hadn't made a mess of it thus far then she would have to hold this job down for a while. No being a pest. No talking back. No being Tina.
"Also, am I gonna get a tour? And will there be freebies in the bathrooms?"
