do it like a dude

Quinn Cohen. 25. November 22nd. Single. Eris. Bartender & Singer at Mic Drop. Underground Fighter.

[quinncohcn]

character name: Quinn Cohen age & birthday: 25  & November 22nd, 1997 gender & pronouns: Cis woman, She/Her place of birth & time in Fallbrook: Fallbrook born and raised. district: Eris occupation: Bartender & singer at the Starbeam faceclaim: Kat Mcnamara secret: is in the underground fight club that Dylan Valentine runs.

CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY TWs: death, physical abuse, abuse

PAST

Quinn was born a few days before Thanksgiving and was thrusted into a world where her father would hate her existence and the only light inside of her life would be her four year old brother who grew up to be her protector. As the little blonde got older, the more she noticed the way her father was closed off to her and when she figured out it was the fact that her mother died giving birth to her, she did everything she could to avoid being in the same room with the man who obviously resented her. Although her brother was a shining star in the social statuses in high school, she was buried in the background.

If someone even looked at Quinn wrong, the temper the blonde held would come spilling out the seams and the first person to do it ended up with a broken a nose. After that, no one made eye contact with the Cohen girl, most people would whisper about how different the two siblings were from each other and the only person who ever got a side of her that was decent was her older brother because she knew how hard he was busting his ass to raise her since their father dipped out of the parenting position the second he lost his wife. As Quinn got older, the more her head was buried into a notebook, writing songs and teaching herself how to play the guitar at the store since she couldn’t afford to get one.

At the age of sixteen, Quinn got herself a job at the ice cream parlor and with the money she made, she would set whatever she could aside to save up money to get herself the guitar she spent most of her free days playing. One night when Quinn went home and her brother wasn’t there, the blonde ended up in the same room with her father and the mistake she made was trying to have a conversation with him with a glass of water because she knew he wasn’t taking care of himself. She set the glass on the little end table next to him and the next thing she knew the glass was shattering against the wall behind her and the look on the man’s face only told her to clean up the mess and be on her way.  So, she did just that and never spoke about that night.

After that night, Quinn decided she had to find ways to protect herself when her brother wasn’t around. She stumbled upon one of those underground fight clubs and quickly embedded herself into it, the rush she would get after a fight whether she won or lost kept her coming back for more. There was one person who took notice of her and decided to take her under his wing and help make sure she lost her fights with little damage as possible, Dylan Valentine.

PRESENT

After graduating from high school, Quinn waited until she was twenty-one to apply for a job at the karaoke bar. As the blonde worked at the bar, the woman also wrote songs in her notebook and fought at the underground fight club that became another part of her life that no one knew about. She would always find ways to lie about the marks that would be left on her and whenever they were bad enough, she’d find somewhere else to stay for a while until the marks would fade enough for her brother not to question. She did everything she could to make sure she was never in the same room with her father especially when her brother wasn’t around. She is trying to find a way to let her brother know that she can’t stay in that house anymore but she doesn’t know how to break the news to him.

Wanted plots & Headcanons

Exes - people who have tried to get close to Quinn were immediately broken up with because she doesn’t believe she’s really worthy of being loved in any way.

Quinn has a bit of a temper so she can be feisty but she also jumps from couch to couch sometimes whenever she has a bad altercation with her father.

Quinn also owns a motorcycle, it’s her pride and joy that she worked hard to get.

[steveleonw]

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

“What? You need a foot an arm to sing?” He teased, knowing she, like him, was a bartender in town. There was a shared sort of comradery that one only understood when dealing with the Fallbrook night life to make a pretty penny. “I don’t forget–miss seein’ you around the neighborhood. But hey–you got out. That counts.” He knew that sort of thing mattered to some people, but Cal had always been content with his life in Eris. His head shook softly with a smile, not one to describe himself as spontaneous. But any teasing retort died on his lips as they rounded the corner to see the small cave with the water fall him and Eddie had found all those years ago. “Ah man, still here.” He went closer to the side of the cave, knocking softly on the initials him and Eddie had left when they were kids with nothing but the world ahead of them.

...

“You know that’s not what I meant,” the blonde chuckled. All she could think about was the events that lead her to moving downtown. It wasn’t exactly the most ideal situation to be basically ran out of the neighborhood she grew up in, the sediments behind all the relationships she had built and places she used to hang out but as he said. She got out. She brushed her tongue along her lower lip as she walked up the hill along side of him. “Yeah, I mean... If you want to put that way, sure.” Although the scars of that house would remain with her for the rest of her life. She followed after him, stopping as he did. Her gaze falling upon the initials that him and Eddie left when they were kids. “Do you think he is still with you?” She asked, wondering if that was something he believed in because she had a hard time believing that her mother was still with her.

[quinncohcn]

DEREK COHEN

Derek wasn’t really sure what to say or do. Not a lot that the man whose sperm had created him really surprised Derek. But he’d given up on his old man long ago with the help of the stability from his sister and mother. However, Quinn seemed to be quite a bit more disturbed than he was. And maybe that was because she’d had a better relationship with him, or perhaps just a closer one with far less closure. It made him worry in a way he hadn’t worried in a long time. A hand came up to his jaw when she agreed, “I believe you meant seven-teen,” He added as they made their way towards The Barnyard. He looked over at her, nodding his head up once in her direction, “Sorry about this mind fuck.”

...

Quinn didn’t know what to say about any of it. A part of her wondered why she had gotten the shit end of the stick with their father but it all made sense. Her being born had been the reason he couldn’t leave to see his other family in what everyone considered the good part of town. Inhaling, her hands slipped into her pockets. She was desperately trying not to lose her shit and turn around to go beat the fucking hell out of her father for what he had done to them, to him, to his mother... How did he get away with this? She tilted her head down to look at her feet, shaking her head. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

His eyes narrowed for a moment, though he was smiling. “I see, I see so you wouldn’t let people tell you what to do but you’d let me wait on you hand and foot because I was the asshole that dragged you out here?” He nodded softly, “Alright Cohen, I’m onto you.” Cal continued to chuckle at her, gripping her hand so that she could use it for support as she traversed the last bit. Normally the only ‘fun’ Cal ever had outside of his responsibilities consisted of escaping into one of his flings. But he found himself escaping even more in this moment, feeling like in this little spot in the forest, no amount of reality could touch them. He hoped she felt it too. Because she deserved to feel that. “You never can be too prepared.”

...

Quinn rolled her eyes at his words as she walked behind him. “I mainly will make you wait on me hand and foot if I lose my job until my arm heals,” she teased. “You forget I had to scrap all my money together to get an apartment downtown and it’s not cheap.” She chuckled as she brushed her tongue along his lower lip, following after him as she slipped her fingers between his. She stepped across the rocks with him, glancing down at her feet to make sure she didn’t misstep or anything. “Now that I know how spontaneous you are.... I’ll remember to always be prepared.”

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

“Funny, you didn’t strike me as someone who let’s many take care of you.” Did she think he would just let her sit around with a broken arm that he’d essentially caused by bringing her out here. He chuckled softly to himself. Note to self, don’t bring Laney out here until she’s old enough. Or at least, don’t tell her about the secret, secret spot he was taking Quinn to. “Here, gimme your hand, there’s a flat rock under the water–those shoes while great are–not doing you any favors here.” He reached his hand out for her to hold through the last bit of the slippery area.

...

Quinn let her eyes raised up towards him, arching a brow curiously. “You’re right. I more than likely wouldn’t let a single person tell me what I can and can’t do with a broken arm.” She teased. She would even try to bartend with one arm at Mic Drop because she always had a hard time when people told her she couldn’t do something but she would probably not be able to fight which would cause problems later.  She reached out, taking his hand again. It felt so foreign, the way his hand was warm against hers. “I didn’t think I was going rock climbing today, Cal.”

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

“Watch where you’re going..” He nodded down when she looked up at him. It was a gentle warning, and maybe more so because he finally realized what he’d said. But it seemed like being open about his shit was kind of par for the course today. He wished he talked more about Eddie anyway. So it was a good thing. “That’s exactly the kind of thing Eddie would say–broke his arm so…” He teased, as he watched her carefully. Cal was so curious about what was going through her head, but kept himself in the moment. Eddie’s loss had cut him to the core yes, but he had time to put closure on that period of his life. Plus, Laney had made things a lot easier for him. She was just such a blessing. He was lucky that way.

...

Quinn nodded her head, reaching out to her side to balance against the rocks as she raised her eyes up to look at the back of his head. “I break my arm, I fully expect you to take care of me.” She chuckled as she took carefully steps to follow after him. She didn’t realize how much she needed the escape from everything out there in Fallbrook. All of the looks she had gotten after what happened with her father that mixed between pity and disbelief. She thought about the fact that her father also had another family in a different part of town and he was able to get away with it because she was born in Eris. She furrowed her brows as she stepped up onto another rock, exhaling as she let her eyes rest on him. “Where exactly did he break his arm so I can be extra careful?” She teased.

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

Callum wasn’t surprised in the least bit that she turned away. And he wanted to tell her not to, that she didn’t have to. But the words never left his mouth. They didn’t feel right and he didn’t want to push Quinn. He couldn’t imagine the kind of abuse that she’d endured, and how that affected her. He just wanted to give her a safe place to land if she wanted it. So instead he just tugged her along, behind the waterfall. “I wanna see if it’s still here…” He muttered out, a bit to himself but also in clear earshot of her. “Careful,” He said, taking it slow as he helped pull her up across a few slippery rocks. “Eddie broke his arm here once.” He blurted out, but didn’t think too much about it. It was almost like he was a boy again, without a care in the world, just for a moment anyway.

...

Quinn interlocked their fingers together as he walked her down the path. "Okay," in that moment she actually trusted him plus he did mention it would be a little dangerous which caused a light smirk to come across her features for a second but it faded when the two of them began to navigate over the rocks, her eyes lifting up to look at him when he brought up Eddie. That's why this place meant so much to him, it was him and Eddie's spot. She thought about how tragic that had been for everyone who knew Eddie. She had some contact with the kid but not enough to feel his loss the way he probably did. "Guess we better show him how easy this it cross." She teased, trying to keep the loss a little lighter. It's how she usually worked through the loss of her mother, thinking about what she would have thought about the things in her life.

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

Her comment was astute, and it had him nodding softly. Callum was very much himself in this place. So much of his life outside here was filled with stress, escapes, or fatherhood. And while all of those Callum’s were the real Callum, here he could just be. As her hand slipped into his he realized that he missed Eddie far more than he ever really let on, or at times even realized. He slowly rolled his lip beneath his tongue, then his teeth. “It is, yeah.” He knew that it was Eddie that brought him here, because nothing else explained how he ended up here, opening up like this. He listened to her as she offered her thoughts to him, something he didn’t need but was also honored that she was offering. Her hand left his but he didn’t mind. Callum wasn’t a stranger to the fears of vulnerability. He took to heart each of the words she bestowed in her trust in him. “Thank you, Quinn.” He offered as a response, hoping to catch her eye so that he could convey how truly appreciative he was. There was so much he was thanking her for in that moment, unable to fully express it. “You’re better than you think.” Which had to be true in so many respects in her life, growing up with parents who didn’t love her. He didn’t want that for Laney. He couldn’t let that happen. His hand ran along his jaw for a moment, “C'mere.” He took her hand suddenly, bringing her closer to the little waterfall and stream.

...

Quinn swallowed at his words, her head turning to look over at him as she noticed the appreciation on his features. His words hit something inside of her and it was hard to navigate what that feeling was as she turned her head to look away from him as if it was going to hide whatever she was feeling from him. She let her eyes focus on the waterfall, thinking about all the bullshit the last eight months and how she hadn't been able to escape anything it felt. In this moment, it felt like she had truly found somewhere to hide. When his hand took hers again, she followed after him as she raised her eyes up towards him. "Where you taking me?" She said as she watched him navigate them a little closer to the waterfall and streams.

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

Cal wondered what was going through Quinn’s mind now that he had laid this all out for her. Was she judging him? Did she think he was making a mistake? Should he be fighting for Laney’s parents more than he was? Was he being selfish? But he quickly noticed, while he was wondering what Quinn was thinking, he was also just rolling through the questions that he rolled through on a near constant basis. And when he wasn’t rolling through them, he was worried about whether they were going to roll back into Laney’s life and fuck something up for her. It felt good to talk about it though, in this place, with Quinn. As if she read his mind, he smiled softly over at her. The sweetness in her words and the way the suns rays were getting caught in her blonde locks, he realized how beautiful Quinn really was. “Thanks. It’s not that. I’m not worried about that.” And if he was a little bit skeptical before, he definitely wasn’t after she said that. “I just mean–it’s heavy you know? Didn’t really take you out here to tell you all that or nothin’, just kinda came out.”

...

Quinn shook her head at his words, turning her head to look over at the sun. "This place seems like the one that allows you to speak your mind. I'm honored." She told him as she ran her hand down his arm, slipping her hand in his and lacing their fingers together. "I think you have to do what you think is best for Laney. You're talking to someone who had a parent that didn't take care of her even when she was his biological child." She pulled her hand back, realizing how intimate it had felt and the odd feeling it caused in her chest. "I am not good at this shit." She confessed. "I'm not someone who can give you the best advice to ease all the shit going on in your mind but I think what you're doing... It's selfless." She said as she looked down at her hand, pulling her fingers into the palm of her hand then out. "It's not heavy by the way. We all need to tell someone the bullshit. It's nice you actually felt like you could tell me. I'm not usually someone people confide in."

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

Cal took a deep breath taking in the air around them. Every time he came here, he felt Eddie the most. He stood there a moment, still kind of shocked that he’d brought someone with him, Quinn, to this sacred place. And also shocked that he’d clued her into his secret. If he were honest, he wasn’t even sure that he did trust Quinn, at least not with that secret. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he thought that she would go around town gossiping about him or anything, he just knew that she could be a hot head sometimes. But maybe, it was time for him to start living his truth. Maybe that was why Eddie brought them here. “No–they aren’t really around much. They’re more so in chase of their next high than they are worried about Lanes. Laney calls me dad you know? I’m the only parent she’s ever known.” He pushed out a sigh, “What if trying to get custody of her isn’t even what’s best for her?” It was a question that kept him up almost every night. “Ah shit–sorry Quinn–didn’t mean to dump that on ya.”

... Quinn stood along side of him, letting her eyes glance around the beautiful area around them. She wondered how Cal found this place and what it meant to him because when she let her gaze flicker towards him she noticed how much it meant to him in that moment. She could be a hot head when it was necessary and this wasn't something she felt like being a hot head about. She thought it was sweet that he wanted to do everything he could for Laney. Her body slightly turned towards him as he began to talk about her real parents, pressing her lips together when she heard about what her parents were actually like before she could say anything the question left his mouth. She took a step closer to him, shaking her head at his words. "No, please." She reached out, putting her hand on his arm. "You can dump whatever you need to here. I'm not -" she wasn't the gossip type. "I'm always here if you need to talk. Everything that's said... Well, it will stay here, okay?"

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

He turned back again to look at her, offering a half smile, “Thanks.” Cal used to be pretty even keeled, but now everything was different. The unknowns that peppered his life with Laney weighed on him pretty heavily, but despite that, he had to push ahead and figure out how to be a father. His mood shifted pretty readily. He felt like Quinn could maybe relate to that. Walking to his ‘spot’ had his mood shifting in one that was more relaxed, more softened. “Your secret’s safe with me Cohen.” He offered back to her, meaning every word. Cal wondered if he was getting a side of Quinn that most didn’t often get a glimpse of. He appreciated that she trusted him enough if that was the case. “Mmm, if only it was that simple.” And just like that, they arrived at his spot, a little oasis tucked away in the trees. It was a place that he and Eddie had discovered back in middle school, just a couple a kids adventuring out in the woods. It brought him a certain level of peace that no where else did. He took in the sight of the little waterfall, and the rocks he used to climb as kids, seeing the rock where Eddie once fell and broke his arm. “I’m actually not her father–well, biologically anyway.” Very few people knew that, and normally he was keen to keep it that way.

...

"Of course." Quinn turned to look back over at him. She couldn't imagine having someone so little to look out for, protect from the bullshit of the world when she could barely take care of herself. She had recently moved out of the house because she was forced to. She thought about the fact that her father also had a whole other family in this town and it made her stomach ache. She lifted her eyes up towards his face when he mentioned that her secret was safe with him. She believed him. She had been ready to open up and spill all of it but there was that tiny voice in the back of her mind that stopped her from doing so. She walked up to the spot, looking around as she breathed out, pulling her hands out of her pockets. "It's so beautiful." She whispered as she took a step closer to look at the waterfall. At his words, her head turned to look over at him. "Are they trying to use that against you?" Somehow it made him more admirable, the fact he had been willing to take care of a child that wasn't biologically his when there were parents out there who didn't want to take care of children that were biologically theirs.

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

Cal turned back to look at her with a soft chuckle, taking her words in stride. He wondered sometimes how much his dad personality spilled into all other aspects of his life. “Sorry–sometimes I forget to turn off dad mode.” He shrugged, honestly a little bit embarrassed. Not that he was too worried about what Sloane thought, more so that he just thought a lot about how Laney had changed the trajectory of his life so drastically. It was an interesting prospect sometimes, not that he had a single regret about choosing to be Laney’s father. But sometimes he felt like he lived a double life. “Who’s cheesy now?” He quipped right back before taking another sharp turn. “Uh–not so much. Lanes had her first dentist appointment which was wild.” And expensive. “Keepin’ up with my jobs and shit. I talked to a lawyer about Lanes and custody shit.” He shrugged. “You?”

...

"It's cute." Quinn spit out without hesitation. She didn't know why those words were the one she chose but here she was. She cleared her throat as she turned her head to look ahead of them. She enjoyed nature and walking around it. There was something more peaceful about the outdoors then indoors but that wasn't a topic she was willing to discuss either. She turned her head to look over at him, letting a small smirk come along her features. "If you try to tell anyone I'll just deny it." She teased as she kept her gaze on him as she let her playful expression leave her features when he brought up the lawyers and custody. "Is her mom trying to be apart of her life? Or take custody from you?" She realized how much she stayed out of other people's business after the whole thing with her father went down.

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

He liked Quinn’s smile. It was beautiful, and not always something she seemed to be generous with. It made him feel proud to know he’d brought it about in her. Cal smiled right back, “Oh c'mon–you were just messin’ with me? Damn Cohen!” His hand with to his heart, feigning being hurt by her giving him a hard time. But honestly he thought it was cute. “Good to know.” He nodded, interested in the fact that she’d said that. But he took Quinn’s words at face value. “Although what if the adventure involved like–you know I was gonna say something dangerous–but you kinda like danger don’t you?” He didn’t know too much about Quinn Cohen but he’d heard the rumors around town about her dad. Maybe that was why he’d been so proud to bring that smile to her face a few moments ago. “Oh–well shit that sounds great to me. Guess I didn’t know what I was missing.” He brought his hand up to his forehead, slicing it down as he saluted her request. “Rodger dodger.” Cal took her down a wooded path towards a private small beach, except everyone in Fallbrook knew about that. After a few moments, he detoured from the path.

...

There were many times where someone didn't understand she was joking and a part of her wondered if this had been one of those times which she had been partly glad she let him in on the whole thing because she didn't want it to be weird. Most of the time her conversations always went in a direction she couldn't pull them back from and she didn't want that to happen here. At least Cal knew what it was like to grow up on the side of town like she had. She shook her head at his words, rolling her eyes playfully as he held his hand to his chest, acting hurt. "Please don't make me regret bringing you in on the joke." She teased. She tilted her head to side a little as a little smirk came along her features, raising both of her eyebrows. "Danger is my middle name," she used the cheesy saying as she laughed a moment later, turning her head to look over at him, turning herself to start following him. She made sure to walk at the same pace as him to keep up with him as she kept her hands in her pockets. "So, anything new going on?"

[quinncohcn]

CALLUM MEYERS

“Damn really? I really thought I was smoother than that.” He feigned a bit of confusion and defeat as he shook his head for a moment, though he knew in the end it was all just playful banter for both of them. Cal was always keen to keep things fairly light since the pressures in his life were enough. “Well I don’t know but there’s always a first.” He retorted with a soft chuckle. If Cal were honest, he never really knew what Quinn was going to say next. She’d always been a mystery to him but he was good with that. Cal wasn’t much of an over analyzer. “Oh absolutely, if it weren’t for Lanes I wouldn’t even be going to this damn parade later. But she loves ‘em so here I am, doin’ my part.” He sighed, jumping from the float onto the ground. But also, Cal just wanted to get away, and wouldn’t mind the company. She was actually doing him a favor.

...

Quinn let a small smile come along her features to let him know that she was only teasing, there was no harm behind his cheesy comment. She enjoyed playful banter and it had been a while since someone could handle her. "Don't worry, that is not something that will ever happen." At least not with him but that wasn't something she would admit out loud. She took a few steps back, turning her head to look around them before looking back at him. "Well then I might as well do my civic duty and provide you one of the best companies you'll ever have." She teased, pulling one hand out of her pocket to gesture towards the path. "Lead the way, Cal."

[quinncohcn]

continued from here

Quinn dropped her eyes down to her feet as she shoved her hands into her pockets, knowing the urge to beat something was rising inside of her. She raised her gaze back up to him, pressing her lips together as she thought about the fact that her father had gotten overly angry after his mother died... Was it because he loved her? Or because this kept him away from both of his families? How the hell did he get away with this in such a small town? She closed her eyes for a second as she nodded her head at his words. "I need like seven drinks." She confessed as she turned, starting to head towards the nearest bar.

[quinncohcn]

continued from here

Quinn laughed as she nodded her head at her words. "I've heard some pretty bad ones in the day and that one ranks up with them." She smirked as she kept her hands tucked into her pockets. "When have I ever been one to say no to an adventure?" She asked as she took a few steps back so that he could get down from the float. Her head turning to look around them before looking back at him. "You sure you want to leave all this?" She asked, sort of joking but she also knew he had a kid that he probably wanted to spend time with over her.