;; JUNIPER RIDLEY LIÀO — AS TOLD.
[ chase sui wonders, demi woman, she/they ] - was that juniper ridley liào i saw by the lighthouse today? i heard that the twenty six year old who has been in nightrest for her entire life and works as a mechanic at mike's auto service has a reputation of being dauntless, but also irascible. they reside in fog gate & people in town usually associate them with the scent of coffee and tobacco clinging to every piece of clothing you own, a bloodied grin spitting out teeth that may or may not be their own, and running and running and running and never looking back; not even once. let’s hope the killer doesn’t go after them next. [ james, 24, they/them, est, n/a ]
MENTIONS OF PARENTAL DEATH, ALCOHOLISM, CHILD NEGLECT, VARIOUS CRIMES, IMPRISONMENT, AND DRUGS BEYOND THIS POINT.
profile.
full name: juniper ridley liào.
birthday: april 9th, 1997.
astrology: aries sun, taurus moon, aquarius ascending.
sexuality: bisexual.
currently listening to: you're a germ by wolf alice.
current mood: annoyed 😑
current location: [[[cannot be found]]]
last tweet: guess im in my fucking lindsay lohan era FUCK the NRPD #freelohan #freebritney.
PINTEREST.
history.
the liao children are born in quick succession of one another; not more than a year apart, their parents just a couple of rabbits. if their parents were truly in love or just perpetually horny and stuck with each other, juniper wouldn't know.
PARENTAL DEATH; their mother died while giving birth to juniper, marking her as the last liao child and a blurred stain in their lives since. if her grandparents were either still alive, or still talking to her father - they would've said she's cursed. and maybe juniper is.
ALCOHOLISM, CHILD NEGLECT; the death strikes their father hard - still unsure if it's about love or a matter of oh fuck i have too many kids - and it's a bit of a shameless situation. the oldest kid takes up the role of parent as their father turns to the bottle - though it mostly consists of him passing out in his recliner chair in front of the tv, beer bottle just about slipping from his grasp to meet the others on the floor. he's never taken out his anger on juniper, or any of the kids - but he's profoundly absent from their lives since.
the liaos live in a spattering of mobile homes at the very tip of fog gate, where the sea breeze corrodes the metal and there's a fine view of the literal shipwreck on the beach from their kitchen window. it's cramped, and grimy - but they make do. it's home, after all.
juniper grows up angry - for good reasons and for no reasons, just angry - shorter, so she's closer to hell. so she has less room to fit all her emotion.
DEATH MENTION; maybe it's because she's the youngest, but has none of the benefits of being the youngest. they don't really get along with their siblings - some of them blaming her for their mother's passing; blaming them just for being born.
well, whatever - juniper doesn't need them. they don't need anyone. she grows up being the kid playing alone on the playground - threatening to bite those who came too close. the kid to push others off swings, to topple over another just to reach the top of the jungle gym. they'll make their own goddamn sandwiches. walk herself to school.
gets into fights a lot as a kid - almost faces expulsion more than once. they always manage to reel it in, just long enough to keep getting away with it. it's not like they have anywhere else to go.
RUNAWAY / NEGLECT; she never goes home until it's way past dark - when every light in every house has gone out, and there's the looming feeling of someone watching you on her back. it's almost comforting - the complete silence, the unease. contemplates running away - and does, when she's nine. but when she comes back, because of course she does - she loves and hates her family so much that it hurts, it physically hurts - they don't even notice.
LITERALLY JUST A LIST OF CRIMES; high school isn't any better - by the time they're fourteen they're already building up a criminal record of petty crime. mostly vandalism, some minor theft - trespassing - underaged drinking, underaged pot smoking. is once picked up in a cop car while having the shrooms trip of her life, having tried to climb the only water tower in town.
it's whatever though - juniper can do what she wants, nobody is there to stop them. eventually, every officer knows her by name.
they eventually just drop out of high school in their senior year - would've been earlier, but they really liked the free breakfast and lunch provided, but they've gotten a job, now - a little bit of spare cash, and they've never really liked school.
juniper hits the cycle of have job, go to job, get bored of job, miss several shifts and is eventually fired and/or quits. do a petty crime, get picked up - pay a fine, or do a few hours of community service.
IMPRISONMENT :( she does end up spending a few weeks in jail for a very minor assault but swears up n down that the other person started and still sticks to that to this day.
eventually juniper gets at mike's auto service - and mike's, well, mike - but they oddly get along. like he believes in her - in a potential that nobody else sees. it's the only comfort she has. no matter how hard she fucks up - he just won't let up on her. she's grateful for that, probably.
on the side she's turned to doing fun little cons and well, distributing minor drugs - her current running scam is claiming to be a psychic, with tarot cards and all.
for a while, things are calm - juniper moves out of the trailer because another minute alone with her siblings and she'll end up the next town killer, and instead moves into an apartment in fog gate that's so cramped it's like living in a frat house. technically, there's only two people on the lease - but realistically, there's about eight people living there. not including juniper.
DRUGS; a while ago, juniper was arrested for drug distribution - and this time, they resorted to an ankle monitor. she's only a few weeks away from getting it removed after a good few months of suffering. she's even been on her best behavior since then!
EDIT - totally forgot this was a plot point in her life but juniper is indeed not her father's child. her mother had an affair around the time she would've uh, conceived with her father so nobody knew. and since her mother died, that secret died with her as well. to this day everyone thinks that juniper's full blooded related to her sisters but she's not<3
traits.
her family's weird about their names. juniper's only ever addressed as juniper ridley at home, like a constant scolding waiting to happen. she's fine with that - prefers ridley over juniper, and sometimes allows even a nickname of rids. and never a nickname of june, or juni.
grew up the problem child. every teacher knew to look out for her, a reputation preceding her. the liaos are already infamous around town for one reason or another, but juniper takes the cake.
has bitten countless others as a child. nobody would be surprised if they were still biting people.
honestly? was the childhood bully. had to compensate for their unstable home life<;/3
like oddly defensive? feels like everything is going to be a verbal attack on her - and is quick to anger, quick to get into a fight. a bit mean with her words, but sometimes she makes an attempt to not be. they're just moody<3
you know how eden is blunt but nice about it? juniper manages to point out your one flaw you try your hardest not to think about and convince yourself that nobody else notices. just on a whim, without thought.
speaks without thinking often - is critical of others but loves to be a hypocrite.
does not have an intuition against danger. is fearless and doesn't think twice about committing an act. or committing to the bit. probably why she gets in so much shit.
it's almost like a game to her - something to pass the time. like there's no consequences behind their actions even though its proven time n time again that there very much is.
surprisingly perceptive about others - notices the little details, probably because she's used to being tense and on guard. doesn't use this for good, though.
cares way more than she lets on, but would rather die than reveal any bit of vulnerability or weakness. there's someone in the inside that's soft, just not someone that they know. is a little sad! mourning the life they never got to have.
will easily take a bribe. whether it's free food, drink, or actual money. or jewelry. or a free tattoo. really as long as it's free, juniper will consider doing you a favor or will be more inclined towards you. is very partial to shiny objects, like a crow.
the vast majority of their clothes are hand-me-downs that they've worn since like. middle school. some items r thrifted n juniper does take up the one (1) hobby of jewelry-making, besides crimes.
honestly loves doing tarot and just making up shit. just wants to ruin someone's day by telling them a great horror will meet them.
also loves being a mechanic, much more than she thought she would. knows everything to know about them, and will probably throw a wrench at you if you suggest she's not capable of handling a car just 'cos she's got tits. that's fucked and she'll tell you so.
honestly is mike's ride or die. he's old as balls but that's her grandfather figure right there. she would kill for that man and literally only him.
its hard for her to build long term friendships bc they have a habit of self-sabotaging. clearly. they believe they don't rly deserve anything good because that's the hand life dealt them. so if someone is too kind to her, she'll retreat into her shell of aggression.
has never been in a relationship because of it - she just won't allow herself to be. has had crushes but she deeply represses them. virginal icon because she's never slept with anyone, either - most other things except that. it just feels too vulnerable, too personal.
even being flirted with makes juniper like. partially confused, partially angry, and partially flustered.
i do have to mention the ankle monitor again bc its funny to me<3 she has it for like at least two more weeks so she hasn't been able to drink, or smoke, or anything fun because her patrol officer's going to come for her neck.
relationships.
sooo many enemies. people she's fought, whether verbally or physically. i will say she's better at throwing a fist than spewing some shit. those who just know to stay away from her family. who've been wronged maybe not by her, but by another member of the family.
yeah generally just people who know the reputation the liaos have and either stay away or, surprise! don't! because maybe it fascinates them.
people juniper is just. constantly trying to scam. give her the name of ur childhood pet and ur mom's maiden name. let them read you the wrong tarot cards.
maybe! friends! im sure there's some people who can tolerate juniper, even if she acts like she's lived with wolves her entire life<3
ex-friends! people she's shoved away and started ignoring or being excessively mean to because she doesn't know how to let people get close.
old crushes, new crushes - things that juniper would never act on, but can allow herself to fantasize about on occasion all while avoiding eye contact because now she can't stop thinking about it.
like even jst a flirtationship that gets her all flustered. someone she's made out with once while drunk and now avoids them at all costs because it's embarrassing.
people she bullied as a child </3 i cant believe juniper would push ur muse off the top of the playset. actually. i can. and im sorry.
roommates. there's so many of them and the apartment is so small. it's like almost comical, like a clown car. and neighbors who keep knocking on their door and complaining.
her siblings god please. or people who know her siblings / like them better than juniper, or even like juniper better than them.
