jonathan daviss, bisexual, male + he/him hey look ― it’s reed harris! they’re twenty four years old, they’ve lived in shrike heights for fifteen years, and they’re currently working at radioshack and shrike heights radio. i heard they’re pretty reserved, but i think they’re so intuitive at the same time. can they make it out alive? || aether, 28, he/him, cst + none (Filling one of Ian Vogt’s neighbor connections)
Basics
Full Name: Credence “Reed” Alton Harris
Nickname(s): DJ Vex, “Vectron”
Pronouns: He/him
Sexuality: Bisexual, Demiromantic
Age: 24
Birthday: June 27, 1964 (Cancer)
Blood type: A
Birthplace: Atlanta, GA
Occupation: Part-time sales associate at Key of Reason, late night radio DJ
Dream Job: Musician
Detailed Bio: Here!
Facts/RP Hooks
Radio Shack: Reed works part-time at Radio Shack, usually midday shifts, but will sometimes do closing shifts.
A Voice For Radio: People with keen ears who stay up late listening to the local radio station might recognize Reed’s voice as the calm, soothing voice of DJ Vox, who offers heart-to-hearts, special requests and dedications during his late night radio slot. They’ll also be aware of the very syth heavy music he tends to play over anything else.
Chill Nerd: Big fan of all things sci-fi! Star Wars, Blade Runner, Robo Cop, Knight Rider, Back to the Future, you name it! He doesn’t really play a ton of video games, but when he goes to friends’ places or the arcade, he’ll definitely join in and enjoy it.
Shrike Lifer: Even though Reed was born in Atlanta, he was raised in Shrike and has lived here for a great majority of his life. It’s not rare to see him hanging out all over town.
Musician: Reed’s friends have probably heard his experimental synth pop music. They know he uses “Vectron” as his alias, and heavily debates whether or not it would be cool or dumb to wear a mask or helmet and hide his face if he ever plays shows to retain anonymity. He is an aspiring musician, hoping to make it big someday by writing tracks to movies that haven’t been made yet.
Personality
Reed is more introverted than anything, but depending on the situation, he can be outgoing and friendly.
He makes music with his synthesizer at home, but he can also play the keyboard and piano, and has been able to play since childhood. Thinks keytars are cool in theory.
Reed can’t cook to save his life, usually opting to have junky food or eating out at the mall when he’s working for convenience’s sake.
If sleeping and napping were Olympic sports, Reed would probably have a few medals. Since he stays up so late, he’ll often sleep in, but when he can’t, it’s not odd to see him napping in his car before his shift at Radio Shack
Wanted Connections
Neighbors: Reed lives in the rundown Sundown Apartment complex, and will sometimes commiserate with a few of his neighbors and hang out, smoke pot, and/or share food, especially with neighbors who can cook.
Musical Guinea Pig: Someone who is the victim of Vectron’s enthusiastic music sharing. He loves playing his newest tracks to this person that also listens to similar synth-heavy music, who gives him honest feedback..
Recent Ex: They recently called it quits a few months ago. The split was amicable and they still care about each other, but as just friends. Things just didn’t work out, even though they tried (reasons left open for discussion!). Outwardly, Reed is super cool and chill about it. Internally, he’s still hurting over it. 😬
Friends, rivals, romantic interests/crushes requited or not of any gender, old exes (he’s been here 15 years, who knows!), messy or clean, you name it!
for someone who usually feels so misunderstood, paulie feels sincerely seen as he hears reed's words. "that's the best way i've heard it be described," he begins, 'it' meaning his own feelings and thoughts. "i'm not some jerk who doesn't feel for the people who've gone through shit, but i can't let what's happened completely ruin my life," it sounds dramatic to paulie, and he almost feels embarrassed saying it, but he hopes reed can understand. "i'm gonna adjust my behavior because of it all, like i said, i'm not going near the mall after dark or anything, but to be too submissive, letting fear completely dominate my world, it doesn't feel right to me," he feels good about sharing his opinion, a rare feeling, but one that's accompanied by the not so rare, common amount of insecurity. "paulie," he introduces himself in return. "as much as my back would probably love to be given a break and an empty case to carry, yeah, i play," he smiles. "working at key of reason, too, which is why i actually lug this thing around with me every day. not that guitars are sparse at the store, there's just something about your own instrument, you know?" if music really is reed's thing, then paulie assumes that he'll definitely know what he means. "i'm more of a personal player than someone who likes playing for a crowd, but yeah, maybe you could bribe me," he chuckles.
"Oh, trust me, I feel the same exact way. I was talking to a friend the other day and said the same thing more or less. It's hard not to want all this stuff to just suck you into a rabbit hole of digging up information," he said. Reed was sympathetic to Paulie. He didn't seem like a jerk or anything like that. When he introduced himself, Reed smiled. "Nice to meet you, Paulie," he said, then listened to the other tell him about his work. He grinned when Paulie said he was a personal player as opposed to a performer, and he nodded. "I completely understand. Me too, I guess you could say," he mused. "I haven't been back at Key in a while, but I go there sometimes to see if y'all have any new synth decks. My music is more electronic right now, but I'm always looking for more inspiration everywhere," he explained, continuing to walk with Paulie. I was a nice night out thankfully, with no bad weather on the horizon. Peaceful, even. "I know what you mean though, with your own instrument. I don't carry any around, but there's something about being familiar with your own stuff, you know? Knowing how it works, having it kind of... weird as it sounds, become an extension of yourself, right?"
Lucy had to agree with that - it was something that she'd always felt herself, that knowledge removed, or at least lessened, fear. Of course, her fear of the killers wasn't going away. But knowing more might help, and what didn't help was keeping tight lipped about the whole thing, like some people in Shrike Heights were. Though, perhaps her perspective was colored by the fact that she hadn't been around for much of the horror the town was going through herself, only heard about it secondhand. It was scary, sure, but in an abstract way.
"I don't want to upset people, especially because.. Well, I only just moved back, I haven't dealt with as much as most people. Not firsthand, at least.." She bit her lip. "Do you ever wonder why it seems like no major news outlets have reported on this? I mean, outside of town, you would barely know, unless you had a connection. It just seems like something people would know about, especially with things going on for so long. And why not get outside authorities involved? I don't know. It seems like every question I have leads to a dozen more." Maybe she was saying too much. But it felt like she'd been waiting to say all of this, to someone, anyone, and now that she saw an opportunity, it was all spilling out.
Reed nodded in understanding. "I get that. But just because you only just moved back, it doesn't mean you can't make your own observations or have your own feelings about everything. You should be allowed to talk about it, cause you're experiencing its ripple effect, too," he said. When Lucy asked if he'd wondered about other news outlets not reporting about it, he nodded. "I think... maybe there's some kind of information suppression, but I can't really say that for sure without sounding like I'm completely crazy," he said. "It can't be that this isn't interesting enough for the rest of the country, cause this is the kind of shit they just eat up everywhere else, you know?" he said. "Makes no sense..."
Just like Lucy, Reed had given thought about all of that, too. But he never really gave it much voice, given he'd yet to personally experience an attack himself. Not that he was inviting one to happen. He quietly tapped the check out counter with his fingers. "I really hope we get answers for all this. But we won't if everyone's spooked into never asking questions," he added, raising his brows a bit. "You know, I'm tempted into looking deeper into things sometimes, seeing if there's a pattern or something, but it's hard not to let stuff like that consume your entire life."
Keanu hadn't expected to sit down next to someone so nerdy when they picked their seat at the bar. Sci-fi movies weren't exactly Keanu's cup of tea but they frequented the cinema enough that they'd seen a few of the biggest films in that genre over the years. "So it sounds like you want to be the next Toto?" Keanu joked referencing their work on Dune. "I'll admit I've always been a bigger fan of the stuff they release on their own." Keanu took a moment to sip at their drink in front of them before nodding their head. "I did for a time. My father was one of the head architects for the construction of this mall. He's moved back home and is onto bigger and better projects already," Keanu explained. It'd been the man who'd gotten Keanu their job in the first place. "I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll continue westward to L.A. or return to Miami. That'll always be my home," Keanu expressed. They weren't actively looking for new employment but if another opportunity fell into their lap they'd be sure to take it.
Reed raised his brows when Keanu referenced Dune, but he shrugged slightly. "Something like that, you could say," he said. But he was a one man show. "Toto's work on Dune was a film score, not so much a soundtrack. What I wanna do is make an album that makes you imagine this movie fully in your head, however you want it to go, but the music itself inspires you to let your imagination go. Maybe someday it could be used in an actual movie inspired by the music or something," he chuckled. "Less ambient shit, more The Message, but in space, you know?" It was always a challenge to explain his vision to others, which is why he hesitated to do so with people he'd just met. But he was up for the challenge that night. Something about Keanu intrigued him, but Reed wasn't quite sure why yet. "Well, you better get movin' if you're plannin' on going to a big city like that again. Else you'll get stuck here like everyone else," he teased, wondering if that wasn't the case already.
"Customer privacy is my number one priority. Always has been," That statement went deeper than he made it sound - not that he previously had the chance to expose anybody for being one of his 'clients'. But as he was a private person himself, he would never dare to try and speak about someone's preferences or purchases to someone else. Besides, who was he going to tell? Even if he assumed that everybody knew Reed, would they be interested in having this information? Aaron doubted it. "I would say I forget what people were looking for as soon as they step out of the door, but it can also be... ah... beneficial?" He paused, uncertain if it was the correct word. "To remember, in case someone comes back. It saves them from having the same uncomfortable questions and conversations more than once."
Aaron nodded, already looking forward to the potential opportunities to hang out. Making friends was something very new to him, especially in such a casual environment. "Yeah, I will," They promised with a hopeful smile, though Reed's refusal to talk about his second job had them insanely curious. "Oh? You're not working as an escort too, right? Because you did say it had been a while. Unless it doesn't count, which I understand. I imagine that it feels different if it's not a job. Does it?"
Reed smiled and shook his head. He knew it wasn't all that serious, even if people did find out what he was going into that shop for. It's not like he was the only one. He nodded at Aaron and quietly decided that maybe he would swing by sometime and window shop, if anything.
He was honestly more excited about making a new friend, and seeing Aaron actually experience Shrike for all the good things it had. There were no real ulterior motives on his behalf. Aaron was cute, but something kept Reed from chasing that too quickly. Like there was something more just below the surface that he couldn't see but he could certainly feel. It was nice to know they'd hang out soon, and maybe he'd get to know what that thing was, and just get to know more about him in general. For now though, the question of is other job took him off guard and he couldn't help laughing. Reed shook his head. "No, no!! No way, I'm not a prostitute or anything like that! Just... I'll tell you next time we meet, okay? If you don't figure it out on your own first. I promise," he said smiling.
"It was bad man. It didn't really help that I was a lousy swimmer." Zach laughed. Knowing how stupid this must have sounded, but movies always had a pretty profound effect on the man.
Zachary's eyes lit up at the mention of the drive in. It had surprisingly been some time since he had gone. Never really getting the hype, the sound was always sucky and he never got a good spot, but for the right movie it works. "Come one, that place will never get the new stuff." he smirked as he slid the bag over the counter. "I like the stuff you play dude, and you know I will. I aint' exactly caught up on the latest tunes though." he shrugged "-but I've been okay, working hard, hardly working....the usual, sounds kind of boring now I say it out loud." he laughed, though he genuinely meant it. Not much was going on his life and a part of him hated that.
"What! Sure it will!" Reed said, smiling and shaking his head. "The drive-in is probably better than the regular movie theater for me. I mean, sure, maybe it plays the older movies a little longer, but I mean, that's fine by me! I get to sit out in fresh air and have probably the best hot dogs in town," he chuckled. It was debatable, but Reed enjoyed the drive-in for sure.
He was glad to know Fitz was tuning in to the show and thought that his music was good. "Hey, if you ever wanna put in a request, call up the station any time and I'll play something just for you," he mused. When Fitz admitted there wasn't much going on in his life, Reed nodded. "I feel that. It's sort of been the same old for me, too. Although I'm finishing up a few tracks for an album I'm working on. Maybe I'll see about playing something at the next open mic. I just gotta work up the courage to do it."
hedwig smiled at the thought of reed having a good experience at his best friend's house ; he wasn't sure that he could relate exactly , unsure as to whether or not he had ever actually experienced that feeling of home that reed spoke about himself , but regardless , hedwig thought that he could relate enough to be pleased to know that his friend had that - though at the end of the day , hedwig knew that he didn't have to relate to be happy for somebody , as hard as it could often be to not feel jealousy over happiness in a moment like the one they shared as the music took over their air time . they chuckled at reed's comment about convenience , only because they could definitely relate to that sentiment . " oh yeah , don't get me wrong , " they began , still chuckling slightly . " as much as i think there's real power and meaning behind a home cooked meal , you'll never find me cooking for myself , or anyone else - as much as i'd sometimes like to be able to do that . when i'm in charge it's just tv dinners or instant noodles . "
once again , despite the arguments that hedwig had brought up , he thought reed to be quite correct in his counterargument . perhaps if hedwig had have had a mobile phone earlier in life , he'd have been able to get himself out of some of the dangerous experiences he had gone through . " but not everybody has a car , " he countered , almost as if he had completely flipped the argument around , and was now the one debating for the phones rather than against them . " so i think you've actually got a good point , that they could be vital to have in an emergency . not every emergency is something like a car breaking down , " something everyone in shrike heights had come to learn - if they didn't already know - with the addition of the killers . " i like the idea of them more being for emergencies than contacting your friends when you're out and about - but then again , i don't plan on getting into much trouble any time soon - " something he knew was unavoidable , and not his choice to make , regardless of how he phrased his words " - so they're going to have to be eons cheaper than the mobile phones for sale today are . "
he laughed at reed's reaction to him swaying over to his side of the argument , especially as it was something that hedwig did often . he loved to debate when he was amongst trusted individuals , in safe spaces , perhaps because he was such a quiet and reserved person otherwise - unless he was on stage , of course . despite enjoying a debate , or more enjoying sharing his ideas and opinions , hedwig wasn't usually one one strict side of an argument . he laughed once again at reed's comment about chokehold needing to be played on every show at the station , and despite laughing , he sincerely did appreciate reed thinking so . " you'll definitely be given a copy of anything we come out with next - though i'll absolutely hold you to your words and make it excessively clear that it's your idea to play us , " he chuckled . " the last thing chokehold needs to be wrapped up in nowadays is a payola scandal or something , " he shook his head , grinning as he thought about it ; it'd be just their luck , huh ? not that any of the members would genuinely bribe any at the station to play their music .
Reed smiled at Hedwig and nodded. "Me too, man. Sometimes I wonder if those big-time chefs you hear about cook extravagantly for themselves at home when it's just them, or if they're secretly just like us. Make some tv dinners or ramen. I'd hope not, but you never really know what goes on behind closed doors, right?" he said, rolling his shoulders in a slight shrug. It was fun for him to think that somewhere, some hot shot chef at some five star restaurant went home to make instant ramen for themself, even if it wasn't highly likely. The mental image made him smirk.
"See? Exactly! Not everyone's got a car or money to put a car phone in it. And even then, you kinda risk having your car broken into if someone sees you've got a car phone. I mean, not like petty crime is astronomical here in Shrike, but there is crime. That kind of exists everywhere," he said. Unfortunately, the crime that was rampant in Shrike was the major kind. The kind everyone stayed in the house for. Reed often wondered if the murderers were hiding in plain sight, or were people they knew. Maybe they'd know of people's car phones and break them. Reed shuddered at the thought, and didn't give it voice, instead trying to focus back on the music.
Hearing that Hedwig would give him a copy of anything the band came out with next made him smile. "That'd be dope, and if I play your music on my own account, everyone'll be too busy focusing on how damn good it is to worry about whose idea it was to play it, I promise," he teased with a little laugh. "I believe when you make something good, something worth sharing, it should go as far and as wide as you can push it out into the airwaves, and into the universe," he said with a nod. "Maybe the aliens out there will hear these jams and spare us from total destruction when they realize we've actually got taste." He smiled as the 'On Air' lights came back on and he rolled the next song over, leaning into the mic. "I just got to thinking about what aliens would think of us if they came out to our corner of the galaxy to try and take over. Maybe we can talk to someone about cleaning up all the junk floating in the atmosphere. Are we the only galactic litterbugs out there? Speaking of, here's a little something from an album I've been kinda revisiting lately. 'Space Junk' by Devo," he said, then flipped the mic back off as the song rolled along.
what are the best interactions reed has had with others lately? (in general/overall, not just written interactions)
Reed's best interactions have always been any time he hangs out with people he's close to. Honestly, anytime he hangs out with Hector is a good time because Hector helps him come out of his shell a little bit. He also loves having conversations with Hedwig at work, especially when it comes to talking about music, cause that's really their element. He's also recently met Aaron who has made him laugh with his sense of humor and the little bit of flirtation between them. Pretty much any time he talks to people who make him laugh or smile or really just get into the things that make him tick's usually gonna be some of the best times.
( @survibers, @urdamage, @ofchrysoprase )
what type of person is reed most likely to be drawn to?
Reed is really drawn to curious, forward thinking people. He loves people who have a sense of humor, and who can really get into a deep conversation with him without being afraid to tell him what they're thinking and what they're passionate about. They don't have to be the happiest or smartest or most knowledgeable about something as long as he can see their genuine interest in things. Reed is also very much drawn to people who enjoy science fiction and music as much as he does, and is very much a sucker for a really nice smile.
if reed could change one thing about his life, what would he change?
Reed wouldn't really change much about his life. He sometimes wishes he'd been born into a richer family, but he knows that his life's passions would be much different if he'd been brought up under different circumstances. His drive to leave a mark on the fabric of music would be different, if not gone entirely, and he doesn't know what he'd do without his music. If he could change anything about himself tough, he'd change how awkwardly he approaches personal relationships. He wishes it wasn't so hard to put himself out there regardless of the outcomes.
Reed hasn't really sat down and thought about how he'd do in an attack at length, but he feels like it's only a matter of time before the killers get him. He hopes that he won't freeze up like they do in the movies-- he's watched a lot of slashers and sci-fi movies. Reed is aware that movies aren't real life, though, and knows that things are different when they're actively happening. He's a fast thinker and works well under pressure, though, so he hopes he'll be able to outrun our outsmart the killers to ensure his survival.
Reed really loves seeing when new radio models and parts come in. Sure, he likes fixing the old stuff, but he loves seeing how technology changes a little bit at a time. It all starts with little quality of life things, like combining features, or adding extra buttons, that suddenly become standard and then get enhanced from there. That love for evolving technology really shows when people come in looking for the latest models and he already knows everything about it.
From an outside perspective, one could be confused about the relationship Aaliyah had with Reed. Most people seemed to think that, once a relationship becomes something more than friendship, there can be no going back. The popular opinion seemed to be stay together or never speak again. That didn’t work for her. She loved Reed as a friend well before she ever loved him as anything more. Sure, there was a transition period that was a bit awkward but they worked out the kinks and seemed to be back on track.
Aaliyah wondered sometimes what her life would be like today had they stayed together. Had Reed stepped up their relationship when she told him what she’d wanted, they could have been living together and still happy with one another. She liked to romanticize that option sometimes but Aaliyah had done a lot of growing up since then. She knew it was just as likely he’d have grown to resent her and they may not have had such an amicable break up after all. She was grateful for the relationship they had now.
She clocked him walking in her direction well before he spotted her. She laughed freely in that way you can only do when you’re comfortable. “Your eyes are stuck in the clouds with your head, hm?” She teased. “It’s all good, not harm no foul. I might steal a fry to make you prove you weren’t just trying to walk on by without saying hello, though.”
Reed’s heart jumped to his throat for a moment when he nearly very literally ran into Aaliyah, but he relaxed when he realized he stopped in time and lunch wasn’t completely ruined for either of them. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I’m just glad I’m not havin’ to buy us both lunch all over again cause payday isn’t til next Friday, and I’d hate for you to have to explain to your clients why you got soda all over you,” he mused, holding his tray out lightly for her to help herself to some of his fries if she really wanted. Reed really didn’t mind sharing his food. Most of the time, anyway.
He tipped his head towards one of the nearby tables where he was heading, then kept walking for her to follow if she wanted to, then put his tray down and sat. “It’s been a busy week I guess,” he said, as if trying to explain why their paths hadn’t crossed. “How’ve you been, Liyah? Anything new at the salon?” he asked, trying to start a little small talk. And really, he wanted to know about how she’d been lately. It had been a little while since they’d last seen each other, after all.
Lucy wished she could pull out a notebook and start writing down what Reed was saying - his ideas might sound crazy to some people, or.. as he said, like he was putting on a tinfoil hat, but they weren't to Lucy. She'd suspected, ever since she'd learned a bit more about the killings, that their had to be something going on, more than just your average murders and attacks. Not that there was an average for that sort of thing in Shrike Heights, it had felt when she was growing up almost idyllic. But now, well. Things were clearly very different. And maybe the questions were too big for Reed to go looking for answers, but not for her.
"You know, I've been asking myself a lot of similar questions." Could the authorities be in cahoots with the killers? It did seem like a distinct possibility. "But I.. I'm sorry, I don't mean to get too deep into things. It's just hard to keep conversation light, and stuff, with everything going on, you know?"
Reed didn't often get to talk about exactly what bothered him about the mystery surrounding the killings. A lot of people became superstitious about it, or had been affected or knew someone affected and didn't want to tempt fate. Reed didn't see it so much as tempting fate and more like simply pushing the boundaries of what they knew. It was good to know he could talk about that with Lucy at least.
"Hey, don't apologize, we were both talkin' about it, right?" he mused with a small smile. "It's been like this for a while. You know, the taboo surrounding surrounding the attacks. For me at least, the more I know about something, the less scary it becomes. Maybe that's my own way of coping with it, or why I speculate sometimes, even if I don't have answers," he shrugged. He supposed things could be different if he had personally experienced an attack, but something told him that maybe he would be questioning regardless. "I just hope we can all get those answers sometime before the next century rolls over," he mused.
" man , it must just be one of those days , " iggy concluded with the help of reed's information . he had wondered if it was only the grocery store that was so empty , wondered if there was something fun or interesting happening elsewhere in the mall , but to hear that radioshack was slow as well confirmed iggy's other thought - that it must just be a slow day in general for shrike heights . despite the hustle and bustle surrounding the mall , and the horrific events that happened so frequently , iggy couldn't say that he was completely surprised that there was such an uneventful day going on in such a small town . " did they pick out good birthday gifts , at least ? " they asked with a chuckle . " oh yeah ? " iggy couldn't picture what the seasoning would taste like exactly , but hearing the enthusiasm in reed's voice , he figured it must be good - at least to his taste . " what's it taste like ? like , " he paused to chuckle for a second . " like is it close to anything that i would maybe know ? " he asked , trying to place the flavour to figure out if it really was worth trying for himself . though he wanted to scan the ingredients on the bottle , he continued on with scanning reed's items .
Reed shrugged. "A few did, but mostly it was pretty generic stuff. People who come in asking me what to give someone I know nothing about kinda put me on the spot when they won't answer stuff like what's their budget and what kind of things whoever they're gifting this to is into. Or you'll ask basic questions like 'is this for a kid or an adult?' and they'll get impatient with you for asking too much. I usually will just recommend whatever the latest in stock is, but it's not always like... good, you know? Sold a few small boom boxes though, everyone kinda needs one of those, right?" he mused.
"Oh, dude, this stuff's the best. It's got your basic salt and pepper in it, right? But it also has like, garlic, oregano, turmeric, and something else, I don't now what else is in it. But it's really good, not too heavy, just enough to make your mouth water whenever you have it," he explained when Iggy asked about the seasoning. "I'm not exactly a chef or anything, but I do know about lovin' tasty food, so trust me on this. It'll change your life, dude. Like, what do you usually put on stuff?"
"Cheap beer says a lot about a person," Keanu confirmed and they weren't shocked when their story lined up almost perfectly with what they'd assumed about him. "You make space music? Like electronic?" Keanu asked for clarification trying to parse out what this guy was trying to say by 'fictional futuristic'. When the question was turned around back at them they simply smiled and nodded their head. "Big shot straight from Miami, Florida," Keanu confirmed. "Been here two excruciatingly long years though but I'm only here for work," Keanu explained. Shrike definitely would never be a home base for Keanu. They were only here as long as the money was and until their father found them another gig somewhere bigger and better than this place.
Reed supposed Keanu was right. But he personally didn't read too much into it. He smirked and shook his head at that. When Keanu asked for clarification, Reed nodded. "Mhm," he said, putting his beer down for a moment. "Electronic, kinda experimental. Looking to make some music you'd hear in a sci-fi movie soundtrack," he said. Then they were talking about Keanu and he smiled. "Big shot from Miami, huh? You must really know people here then, if they pulled you out to the middle of nowhere," he said, raising his brows a little. "So you've got one foot out the door already, I take it. Any idea where you'll go next?"
