STRONGER

[matthewxturner]

→ INTRODUCING MATTHEW TURNER

in character

Name: Matthew Turner

Faceclaim: Scott Speedman

Gender & Pronouns: Cismale & He/Him

Age: 45

Birthday: December 27, 1979

Occupation: Owner of Pet Avenue

Neighborhood: Masonboro.

Does your character have a secret? He attempted to commit suicide after his accident and was institutionalized until they felt as though he were mentally well.

Would you be willing to have this secret used against them at some point in the future? Yes

biography

TW: school shooting, suicide

Matthew Turner was born to Sarah & Michael Turner in Duluth, Minnesota as the oldest brother of 2, having a younger sister born a couple of years after him, one he was extremely protective of growing up due to the fact that he took his role as a big brother a little too seriously. That was the thing about Matthew though. Most things in life were serious to him and that included school, his relationships, and his friendships. With that being said, he made it through school being one of the five in the top of his class. While he'd aimed to be the top, there was always one or two people that managed to beat him to it but he didn't let that get him down. Instead, he took that determination with him to college, where he joined his best friend Atlas at the University of St. Thomas.

Matthew majored in history and managed to get his master's degree in the subject, which led him to teach classes at the same University he graduated from. This was seemingly the job of his dreams. He was able to teach people about things he was severely interested in and he seemed to be good at what he did. This very university is where he met his future wife. She was older than the rest of the students and she'd decided on finally getting her degree. Her drive is what made Matthew fall in love with her and the two managed to get both engaged and married within a year, where the two of them bought a house and attempted to start a family. Due to infertility issues, they were unable to do ever have kids.

He got to bond with his kids at school, despite them being older. They all meant a lot to him though and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for them. That included protecting them and he didn't hesitate to do so on that god forsaken day. One Thursday in October, a student decided to bring a gun to school and shoot innocent students. In an attempt to stop him, Matthew fought with him for the gun and the trigger was pulled next to his ear and that ultimately caused him to go deaf in that ear. Despite the ringing in his ear, he managed to get the gun away from them before anything else could happen and the kid was taken to jail. Despite the problem being solved, he still felt as though he didn't do enough due to the fact that so many students had managed to die.

His inability to cope with both his recent disability and what had happened resulted in an attempted suicide attempt. Matthew trapped himself in the bathroom and drew himself a bath after taking a bunch of his antidepressants all at once. Antidepressants that were supposed to help him get through everything and that a psychiatrist had put him on. His wife managed to get in before it was too late and she called an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital and his stomach was pumped before he was forced into a mental institution, where he was kept until he was well enough to leave.

Once he got home, his wife had packed up and left divorce papers on the counter of their shared home. She couldn't handle being with him after everything that he'd been through and in return, filed for divorce. Devastated, he decided to pack up and moved across the country where he'd move in with his best friend and his most recently acquired service animal, which was a golden retriever named Dolly.

After he got settled into wilmington, he bought a local pet store from a couple that was ready to retire and made it his own. Pet avenue was a place that he felt comfortable bringing his service dog and somewhere that wouldn't trigger the memories of what he went through in Minnesota.

[isabcllamcndoza]

Hearing his decline, Kimberly pouted slightly and understood that he was being considerate and not wanting to put the burden on her. However, she was stubborn and still wanted to help. Suddenly, she dropped the umbrella and said, “Oops.” Before glancing up at the sky and taking in the droplets as it hit her skin. “Back home, a lot of us used to play in the rain when we were kids...So I find this totally normal." She then unhooked a portable flashlight from her keychains and turned it on before readjusting the umbrella underneath the both of them. "Plus this is a great opportunity for me to learn how to change a tire without having to call someone up to do it. The way I see it, a win is a win."

[matthewxturner]

matthew didn't like burdening people, especially not after his accident. he already felt like he was an inconvenience any time he had to ask someone to repeat themselves. "i think more people should still do that. play in the rain, i mean." but no one did. when you got older, people expected more from you. he pursed his lips and handed over his flashlight, "alright. if you're sure, you're on flashlight and umbrella duty while i teach you how to change a tire."

[zurixmitchell]

Zuri kept the umbrella steady, water dripping off its edges. His stubbornness made her want to roll her eyes - such a typical guy move. "Rain is basically a lifestyle for me. It's really no big," she said, moving closer to block more of the downpour. "And since I'm already soaked, might as well make it count." The rain reminded her of home, but she pushed those thoughts away. She adjusted her grip on the umbrella handle, making sure they both stayed dry. "Here's the deal ... we can either share this umbrella like normal people, or you can keep being extra and get drenched. Your call, but I'm staying right here."

[matthewxturner]

matthew did appreciate the fact that she was here, even if he was trying to be nice by steering her away from it all. after all, he didn't think that she deserved to be soaked. she wasn't going anywhere though, so he smiled in response to the other and gave her a single nod, "alright. if you want to hold the umbrella while i put the tired on, that would be great. you have to let me repay you though." how? he wasn't sure.

[atlasxthorne]

Atlas snorted at Matthew. Settling down. That wasn’t happening, but it felt like those words were digging at a sore spot. "Me? Find someone? That's rich coming from you," he said with a laugh that didn't quite match how he felt. The truth was, having Matthew crash at his place made the apartment less empty. Jazz nuzzled his hand, demanding pets while he tried to sort out his next words. "Look, you and Jazz are all the roommates I need right now. It would be awesome if she'd stop acting like Dolly murdered her favorite toy. How about we should bribe them with treats or something?"

[matthewxturner]

"hey," he started, "i thought i found my someone." at the end of the day though, his ex wife had decided his trauma was too much for her and she filed for divorce. he was old now though and he doubted he'd find anyone else to settle down with. "you never know what could happen though. i'm just glad i had somewhere to go after everything." pausing to look at the two dogs, he shrugged, "i guess that wouldn't hurt. maybe the two will find a way to be friends then."

[nazliuzun]

"I could probably find something to protect the seats." Maybe the remnants of a shopping bag or some coat that she forgot in the back of her car. Not that she was bothered by her seats because her car was old and they would dry. "That's fine. You can use my phone and I'll wait with you for a little bit, maybe in my car. At least I can help light up the road from oncoming traffic to make sure they see you properly."

[matthewxturner]

matthew didn't like inconveniencing other people, which was why he was so eager to brush off her held. she seemed adamant though and he had to be smart about this. he might as well take her up on her offer. "alright, sure. if you want to point your headlights in my direction and maybe put on your caution lights, i won't say no to that."

[ishanigarcia]

Ishani liked the way the dog's name fit its sweet personality. The service vest caught her eye. Hmm.. The man must have special needs.The man's laid-back response made their awkward collision seem less embarrassing. "Dolly is such a perfect name for her," she said, finding herself charmed by the whole situation despite her usual morning grumpiness. Her own attempt at getting back into a routine hadn't gone as planned, but at least it led to this nice encounter. "I'm trying to get back into my morning routine, but clearly my coordination needs work," she laughed. "Maybe I should take a page from Dolly's book and pay more attention to my surroundings. Though I have to say, as far as morning wake-up calls go, almost getting knocked over by a dog isn't the worst way to start the day."

[matthewxturner]

matthew couldn't help but to smile at the woman. she was kind and that's something that he genuinely enjoyed about the stranger, especially since it seemed as though his life had been nothing but cruel over the past could of years. "you think so? i named her after the singer." he admitted, eyes focused on her lips as she spoke. despite having one working ear, he still did whatever he could in attempt to make sure that he didn't miss anything anyone said. "yours isn't the only one. i mean, look at me. i wasn't paying attention either." as she spoke, he chuckled. "i can promise you she's harmless. despite her being on duty, she's extremely loving."

[acevedohadid]

"Sure! But I bet having some light that's not your phone's flashlight will help, dude." Rio offered as he stepped out of his pickup truck, pulling the hood of his rain jacket over his head. There was really no use though, it was pouring and he was going to get wet no matter what. "I got some tools in my trunk, you need anything else or are you good?"

[matthewxturner]

The other was probably right and as much as he didn’t want to accept the help because he hated inconveniencing others, he knew that it would more than likely be better if he did. He let out a puff of air as the other climbed out of the truck, “the light should be enough. I have to say, you know, thank you. You really didn’t have to do all of this. I could have handled it.”

[tahiryxduval]

CLOSED STARTER

LOCATION: Rizzo's TIME: Thursday, evening FOR: @matthewxturner

Tahiry raced into the diner, fifteen minutes late and counting. Matthew was already waiting at their usual booth and she made a beeline for him. "I'm so sorry! You know how it goes … one minute you're wrapping up an article, next thing you know you're chasing down three more leads and forgetting what year it is," she said, sliding into her seat with an apologetic grin. The words just flew out of her mouth. "I swear, I tried to get here on time. I even skipped getting coffee, which, by the way, was a terrible life choice." She took a breath. "Enough about my chaos … you said it was an emergency? Please tell me you're not moving to Antarctica to study penguins or something equally dramatic."

[matthewxturner]

he was still trying to figure out how in the hell he was going to ask tahiry to be his girlfriend, especially when all the two of them had ever been was friends. of course, he was only asking her to be his girlfriend as a front and not for real. his eyes focused on the entrance, thumb nervously tapping against the table as he waited for tahiry to finally join him. he almost assumed she was standing him up. that was, until she was rushing inside the diner to join him. "all good," he paused and pushed his fingers through his hair, "no, no. nothing that dramatic. i just, i need a huge favor…"

[attyjoshualee]

Sofia loved driving in the rain. She had taken a detour on her way home from work and picked up some dinner and a sweet treat for a job well done after a long week. The brunette was already thinking about what show she was going to binge while she indulged in as many slices of pizza as she wanted. The warmth from the pizza and the comforting smell of freshly cooked pizza dough wafted through the car as she drove through the pouring rain. She noticed the car pulled over on the side of the road and while her survival instincts told her this was how people ended up being subjects of true crime shows, her humanity won out as she drew closer.

There was a man soaked to the bone and attempt to change his tire. She pulled over as well and got out carefully, opening her umbrella to shield her somewhat from the downpour. "Do you need any help? I can try to cover you while you fix it?" Her umbrella was working hard against the rain, the wind not helping matters. "I'd work fast. I don't know how long my umbrella's gonna last before it flips."

[matthewxturner]

matthew glanced back at the woman who had stopped for him and while he appreciated the gesture, he was a little old fashioned in the sense that he didn't want a woman out here helping him and it wasn't because he didn't think that she could do it but it was that he had manners and there was no way he was going to allow her to stand out here in the rain while he changed his tire. "no, really. it's okay. you shouldn't be out here in this. this storm is awful. we don't both have to get soaked."

[nazliuzun]

Nazli knew the feeling of being on the side of the road without help. It happened to her a time or two before and she would have normally put her own safety ahead of helping a stranger in the middle of the night, during a storm, but something was telling her to stop and help. "Are you sure? I can call a tow truck and you can wait in here." The brunette questioned while she looked at the flat. "Everything is bound to be slippery and too dangerous given the poor visibility. It's almost safer for you to wait until morning but it's up to you."

[matthewxturner]

matthew had to admit that he appreciated the stranger's concern. it was unexpected and well, needed after the day he'd had. she was right, too. everything was extremely hard to get a grip on but he didn't want to soak her car with his clothes. "well, if you could call a tow truck then i wouldn't say no to that but there's no way i'm getting in there with my wet clothes and messing up your seats. i can wait in my own. plus, my dog's in the backseat and i don't want her thinking i've abandoned her."

[ishanigarcia]

She stumbled backward as the large dog nearly bowled her over, catching herself just in time. Ishani steadied herself, adjusting her workout leggings. A smile tugged at her lips at the stranger's apology. "No worries—I probably should've been watching where I was going too," she smiled, admiring the gorgeous dog who'd stopped them both from colliding. "Your dog has better spatial awareness than both of us combined." Her gaze drifted to the excited pup, remembering how she'd always begged her mom for a dog growing up. The way the stranger's dog wagged its tail reminded her of those endless conversations. "What's your pup's name?" she asked, keeping a respectful distance while still wanting to get to know the friendly animal. "I'm usually more coordinated this early, I promise. Clearly that's not the case today," she added with a chuckle.

[matthewxturner]

matthew really had been in his own little world when it came to his walk and so he felt bad for almost running right into the woman, especially when he definitely should have paid more attention to everything. "i think you're probably right," he chuckled, shaking his head at himself and glancing down at dolly, who was obviously excited that the stranger in front of them had acknowledged her. while she was a service animal, she was still happy and somewhat excitable. "this is dolly." he introduced her and paid his hand on top of his pet's head with a smile on his face. "that's alright. we all have our days. i'll certainly be on the look out from here on out."

[arnavxkhanna]

Arnav had been driving through his normal roads to get from his office space in Midtown to his home in Masonboro when he caught sight of a vehicle on the side of the road. He peered out as he slowed down behind the person to help and was surprised to see Matthew out there getting not only drenched but truly looking like he'd seen better days. Arnav held the umbrella over the other man, not that it helped much since he was already drenched but he figured it was the gesture that would count. "C'mon man...do you want to fix it now or can we leave it and I can drop you home?" He knew the other might be insistent on taking his car home but this area of the city was pretty safe and so if he locked his car and left it till morning it shouldn't be too bad.

[matthewxturner]

matthew would be the first one to admit that he had a hard time accepting help. even so, as arnav hopped out of the car and held his umbrella over him, he realized how ridiculous he must look trying to change the tire in such a down pour. a sigh managed to leave his lips and he nodded his head, "sure, dolly's in the truck. are you alright if she rides in your car? i know how some people are about dogs in their vehicles and i don't want to step on any toes. i can just finish up here instead."

[zurixmitchell]

She pulled up next to the stranded truck, rain pelting against her windshield. The weather was horrible, and seeing someone struggling made her want to help - it reminded her of all those times she wished someone had been there for her. Rolling down her window, she listened as Matthew insisted he was fine. “Yeah, no. You’re soaking wet and it’s raining buckets out here,” Zuri called out, raising her voice over the rain. “I’ve got an umbrella in my backseat. At least let me hold it while you finish up?” She grabbed the large black umbrella, stepping out into the downpour. Her curls started to frizz from the humidity, but she didn’t care. “Seriously, it’s no trouble. I know what it’s like to need help and not get it. Don’t be stubborn, Matt.”

[matthewxturner]

matthew really did appreciate the fact that someone was so willing to help but he just didn't want to get anyone else involved, especially with how hard it was raining. "come on, zuri," he said in response and before he could fight her on it too much, she was already climbing out of the car and grabbing her umbrella. "i really don't want you getting sick. i do appreciate the help but i'm almost done, really. you don't need to be out here with all of this."

[isabcllamcndoza]

Tapping her steering wheel, Kimberly was singing along to whatever was on her Spotify playlist as she was heading home from work. Taking a peek from her windshield, a frown settled on her lips as she noticed the sudden change in weather with the torrential downpour. She was definitely grateful to be in her car, but as she as driving she did notice someone at the side of the road which made her concern for their wellbeing, especially with these weather conditions. Pulling up next to them, she grabbed her umbrella and opened it up before rushing over to check on them. "Hi! Do you need help with it though? I can hold up the umbrella and flashlight. It's a bit of a struggle right now with all this rain to do it yourself, don't you think?"

[matthewxturner]

while matthew appreciated the offer, he didn't want a lady out in this rain. if he was anything, it was a gentleman and he was alright with doing whatever he had to do without bringing her into it. "oh, no. that's okay," he reassured and offered her a smile, his fingers pushing his soaked hair back off of his forehead, "you really shouldn't be out in this anyways. after all, i'm already soaked. you don't have to join me." he finished with a light chuckle.

[atlasxthorne]

He sank deeper into the chair across from Matthew, letting out an exhausted sigh. Atlas watched as Jazz bounded through the door, her tail wagging. The German Shepherd immediately made her presence known, pushing past Dolly to claim her spot on his lap. "I'm tired, don't be a dick," he muttered, running his fingers through Jazz's fur while she settled herself possessively across his legs. His eyes met Matthew's, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite his fatigue. “Think these two will ever get along? Jazz's jealousy is freaking me out, dude.” 

[matthewxturner]

"come on, i'm only messing around. lighten up." matthew responded, a light smile playing on his lips. after all, he wasn't going to be an actual dick to the one person he could lean on. the two of them had been friends forever and he was thankful to have him in his life. he watched jazz push past dolly and chuckled as he relaxed further into the couch, "probably. they just need more time to get used to each other is all and i'm sure i won't be here forever anyways. just, you know, until..." well, he wasn't sure. "until you find someone to settle down with and kick my ass out of here." he teased, lightening the mood.

[matthewxturner]

OPEN STARTER. CAPPING @ 4. [0/4]

of course this was his luck. not only did he get a flat tire but in the midst of attempting to change it, it started pouring. a long sigh left matthew's lip and he closed his eyes, "you've got to be kidding me." he grumbled, tossing his flat tire in the back of his truck. he didn't hear other car pull up next to him but he did notice the headlights shining behind him. turning, he pushed his fingers through his hair as he squinted in attempt to see who it was. "really, i'm fine. just a flat tire." he reassured the other but if he were being honest, this was the last place he wanted to be. he'd much rather be at home and in bed.

[matthewxturner]

CLOSED STARTER FT. @ishanigarcia

it wasn't out of the ordinary for matthew to walk his dog first thing in the morning, if not taking him out for a jog. usually, arnav joined him for those early morning jogs and this morning, he hadn't and so, he brought dolly to the part so that the two of them could both get their steps in before they had to go over to the pet store. he wasn't paying as much attention as he probably should and so, dolly pulled him to a halt before he managed to run someone over. "jesus," he breathed out, "i'm so sorry. i guess i should've finished that cup of coffee before i left home."