#holidaysintro

[rvfa]

          ❆ ( tommy martinez, twenty-eight, muse b, cis male, he/him. ) i just saw RAFAEL ‘RAFA’ NIEVES in northmount. you know, the PARAMEDIC ? there they were, being their typical -OVER-ALTRUISTIC and -SHORTSIGHTED self. i’ve heard some say they’re +LEVEL-HEADED and +DOWN-TO-EARTH, but i don’t know. they sort of remind me of WARM HANDS EVEN ON THE COLDEST DAYS, A CAR FILLED WITH EVERYTHING FOR ANY EMERGENCY, & FRIENDLY SMILES OVER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE, but that’s just me. if you see them around, let me know, okay ? and happy holidays ! ( ollie, 23, they / them, est. ) ❆

THE STORY

— rafael nieves’ life is marked with the perfect kind of unremarkable childhood : the son of venezuelan immigrants who eventually found their home in the small upstate new york town of lake placid. his father in the medical field and his mother a realtor, rafa never knew the unrest and struggle that his parents had — though that past still pressed its lessons on a young rafa, always taught to be humble and kind.

— the great outdoors was his playground, brought up with copious amounts of sports ( cross-country, soccer, hockey, skiing, lacrosse ) and of course hiking in the seemingly long summer months. this love for the outdoors drove him to want to pursue a park & conservation management degree from paul smith’s. he graduated and went on to become a forest ranger in the adirondacks.

— however, this would turn to be temporary after only a year and a half, he decided he wanted to do more to help people, and after being engaged in a few search and rescue missions in the great wilderness, he opted to return to school once again, this time in an accredited paramedic program at hudson valley community college in troy, ny.

— after two years, he graduated from the program and was fortunate to receive a placement as an entry level paramedic with the northmount fire department.

— he’s happy with his placement and has been in northmount for a touch over three years now.

MISC

— rafa doesn’t believe in being overprepared. his car is full of things just in case : everything from jumper cables to a surprisingly full tool box, to a shovel, tow ropes, an ice pick, a stash of food, and others. he could survive if he ever got stranded. but this isn’t necessarily a result of paranoia — he just likes to be prepared, for his own misfortune and other people’s as well.

— absolutely loves peppermint hot chocolate : the holiday season is the best in his opinion just for the sheer number of chocolate-y peppermint drinks spring into existence. coffee corner no doubt sees him a lot before and after evey shift.

— also don’t doubt the shift goes out for breakfast together at the snowflake diner after a lot of shifts.

— pretty adept at winter sports : both downhill and xc skiing, and skating. has responded to a few calls out at the slopes — among other places and probably has some stories to tell. the stupidity of humans knows no end. he also plays pick up hockey occasionally at the ice house.

— makes so many hallacas during the holiday season. as is a huge sucker for bollos pelones. learned to cook from his mother — an invaluable skill as he would learn later on in life. his go-to take out is pad thai though.

— very good with his hands 😘

— fluency in spanish and english

— very bi. very.

PERSONALITY

          rafa is a naturally warm personality, with an incredibly steadying and reassuring presence — it’s partly what makes him so good at his job. not much phases him, and even when he’s panicking, he’s very good at internalizing it and not letting it show. though he’s no longer a ranger, rafa is still a very outdoorsy person, and perhaps that informs how down-to-earth he is as well. he’s not one to brag, even after a particularly successful call, seeing it only as another job well done — though he does feel a great sense of satisfaction when helping others. a giving heart had characterized rafa since he was quite young : from holding doors to random acts of kindness to the very nature of his chosen career. sentiment holds the highest value to him, not necessarily money — though he also believes that to an extent, money affords you the basic comfort to pursue being happing.

          however, rafa’s tendency to help others can get in the way of his own well-being. over-altruistic, he cannot stand to look the other way when someone is in trouble — no matter how stupid or dangerous the situation must be. make no mistake, it’s not a hero gene that drives him, just the desire to help others. at times, this has made his job take precedent over his own personal relationships, straining some of his friendships and past romantic endeavors despite his easy-going personality. his priorities ( sometimes fairly so ) have been called into question before. in the same manner, rafa can be shortsighted, failing to see the bigger picture due to tunnel vision over addressing what’s immediately at hand. this has caused some issues to get out of hand, due to not being addressed until it’s too late.

APPEARANCE 

— 6′2″, very physically fit

— rather curly dark brown hair that hangs just below cheekbone length when free : usually tied up into a bun when on the job. dark brown eyes filled with warmth, calloused hands that are also almost always warm.

— style : fitted but comfortable pants, crewneck shirts and henleys, flannels and sweaters, all in usual earth-tones and other natural looking colors like greens and blues.

— demeanor : exceptionally calm, even in high pressure situations ; a relaxed posture, though the line of his shoulders sometimes betrays how he’s watching the room for any trouble ; a low almost soft voice that gets surprisingly forceful when it has to, usually in life & death situations on the job when he’s delivering commands.

OOC

          hey guys !! i’m ollie and i’m happy to bring you rafa !! i tried to keep things short and i can’t wait to plot with you all.

[allisontor]

❆ ( priscilla quintana, thirty, muse a, cis woman, she/her. ) i just saw ALLISON TORRES in northmount. you know, the VETERINARIAN? there they were, being their typical -UNPREDICTABLE and -VAGUE self. i’ve heard some say they’re +FLEXIBLE and +SINCERE, but i don’t know. they sort of remind me of A WILDFIRE YOU CANNOT TAME; WITH HER FLAMES BURNING RECKLESSLY UNTIL IT CONSUMES EVERYTHING AROUND HER, A BURNING SENSATION TO FILL THE VOID IN GOLDEN HEART & A WILLINGNESS TO FEEL ANYTHING BUT THE SHARP PANG OF LONELINESS, WEARING FLORAL SCENTS AND BURGUNDY LIPS SO MUCH THAT IT BECOMES HER ARMOR, but that’s just me. if you see them around, let me know, okay? and happy holidays! ( tiff, 29, she/her, pst. ) ❆

B A C K G R O U N D :

i.                  for as long as she can remember, it has always been her mom and her. residing in san francisco, california and living in a decent victorian apartment with big bay windows & a rent increase that comes every year. she had a happy childhood with her mom and an even happier adulthood.

ii.                she went to uc davis for college & would go home most weekends as to not be away from her mom. and after graduation, she went back home and started a career at a local vet hospital, specializing in dogs. sadly, she was only there for two years.

iii.               when she was 27, her mom was diagnosed with skin cancer, and it did not take long before she lost the most important thing to her. consumed by grief, she decided to move to the place where it all begun – northmount. it was the most logical choice. it was the place where her mom grew up, where her mom met her dad, and where she was conceived.

iv.               pouring all her life’s savings into a three bedroom white picked fence house with a red door, she is now a northmount resident and has been for the past year. now she works at the only animal hospital in town and trying to find herself again.

v.                 which brings her to now – three months ago she received a phone call from her father, who decided it was time to talk to his daughter after finding out about the passing of her mother. out of the kindness of his heart, and an sudden desire to connect, he invited her to montreal for christmas to meet his family.

vi.               & it has taken her a long time to decide before finally coming to terms and thinking that having a lonely christmas is not an ideal situation, especially for someone who loves christmas. on the way to the airport, regret and panic sank in. meeting rafael was, to her, fate and she clung onto that idea with desperation.

 P E R S O N A L I T Y :

i.                  she is, by nature, impulsive & unpredictable. always been one to follow her heart instead of her head, it has gotten her into situations without thinking. it has gotten her into some sticky situations and made her life seem more…exciting.

ii.                which is fine since she hates sitting alone and listening to the voice in her head. she will always find things to do, be able to whip up random conversations, and was always fleeting from one person to another. she is not constant, not consistent, and never been able to stay in one place for too long.

iii.               & she is a contradiction – she loves the idea of romance and lifelong partnership – the picture of close friends sitting together around the fireplace, but she is a drifter and cannot hold a friendship for too long. she wants love, but she is terrified of it.

iv.               yet she is sincerity, despite her aloofness or distance, she is sincere in her actions and truthful in her words. she lives up to her promises and will try to lend a helping hand when she can. often fostering animals until they find their forever home, she has a weakness for furry things.

v.                 at the end of the day, allison torres is sunshine. is a wildfire. an unpredictable source of warmth that seems to set ablaze what she touches, often leaving behind a trail of cold ashes.

M I S C F A C T S:

i.                  she has a mini aussie (2 years old) named mimi. this is her best friend and her family.

ii.                always wearing some sort of red lipstick and jasmine scent, she is the embodiment of femininity.

iii.               could live in soft sweaters and boots & loves the smell of christmas and hot chocolate.

iv.               have always wanted to live in a classic christmas movie, and didn’t realize how much she loves it until northmount.

v.                 dreams of owning a modern farmhouse on a huge lot so she can convert her backyard into a shelter for animals.

vi.               stands at 5’5 & is a proud cancer (born july 11th)

vii.              biromantic and loves both females and males

O O C :

hi all! super excited to be here. it has been a while since i joined a rp, but i just cannot resist a christmas one! i am very open to plots and love drama so please feel free to hit me up to brainstorm ideas!

[harpersfm]

❆ ( yang hye-ji, twenty-five, muse g, non-binary, she/they. ) i just saw HARPER KIM in northmount. you know, the RADIO DJ? there they were, being their typical -REBELLIOUS and -ARROGANT self. i’ve heard some say they’re +DRIVEN and +ALTRUISTIC, but i don’t know. they sort of remind me of AFFECTIONATE EYE-ROLLS, STANDING UP FOR YOUR FRIENDS, DANCING AROUND THE KITCHEN, but that’s just me. if you see them around, let me know, okay? and happy holidays! ( maeby, 25, she/they, pst. ) ❆

hello hello !! my name is maeby and i’m so stoked to be here ♡ i’m 25, out here in the pst, and use she/they pronouns. i can’t even tell you how excited i am to be bringing you my coolest lil pea, harper ! she’s still fresh and new, so i’m way excited to plot & dig a little deeper into her character this holiday season! without further ado...

STATS

given name: harper eun-ji kim nicknames: harp, harps, kim, harpsichord (if you dare) hometown: northmount, ny orientation: bisexual, biromantic alignment: chaotic good christmas playlist: click to listen on spotify! hobbies: classic film festivals, summer roadtrips, karaoke nights, throwing themed parties, playing music with friends, adding songs to their endless christmas hipster playlist, songwriting in the snow, learning vintage mixed drinks, being a fucking hipster favorites: movie dates, cozy nights, homemade french toast, mixed nuts (1994), gingerbread pancakes at the snowflake diner, reflective moments after a concert ends, christmas morning (white chocolate chai tea), christmas morning (the morning of december 25th)

BIOGRAPHY

born and raised right in northmount, new york to a former ballet dancer and a successful investor, both from high profile families in upstate new york. harper’s childhood was picturesque, softly-lit and snow-covered, but there was something that never sat right with her. it felt as though everything her parents did for her and her siblings was done to achieve the image of a “perfect” family, rather than out of love. vacations were planned just for the holiday card photo opportunity and newsletter blurbs. every detail of christmas was fastidiously orchestrated with decorations that were never to be touched, presents piled high to prove they could afford the hottest toys and gadgets, the same bing crosby playing in the background year in and year out.

harper became the black sheep of the family when it became clear that she didn’t give a damn about “perfect”. what was the point of photo opportunities if she never got the opportunity to actually spend time with her family? they felt like strangers to her throughout her entire life, especially her parents. by the time she reached high school, harper decided that she knew better than them and that she would live by her own rules. the days of fake smiles and fake friends were over. when something bothered her, she made it known. when someone started to get a rise out of one of her friends, she went in swinging. when someone tried to put her into a box or tell her that things had to be one way, she found a new way of doing things.

rather than follow her mother into dance, like she’d been hoping for since harper was a toddler at the northmount ballet center, or into business school like her father had hinted at from the moment she could think about the future, harper put all her effort into music and followed her dreams of hearing herself on the radio. rather than spend hundreds on christmas, she made gifts for the people she cared about and found that they were enough for the people who genuinely cared about her. rather than play the music she was told to, the same cooker-cutter carols her parents had touted her entire life, harper played the tunes that went against the stepford christmas she grew up with. that was, at least, when she could.

when her job was threatened, she forced herself to conform and play the uninspired, hackney carols that kept people listening to their station, but anyone who knows her hears her gripes about it every holiday season, all season long. but don’t get her wrong – just because she believes in a low-key, sentimental christmas doesn’t mean that she hates christmas altogether. there are things about christmastime that eclipse every other season; the falling snow, the warm nights with loved ones, the deep and romantic reflection of the year passed and the year to come. if she could be free of the artificial, consumerist image of christmas that has infected every part of her life, she might be able to focus on that. but life is never quite that simple, is it?

WANTED CONNECTIONS

regular listeners or fans of harper’s radio show, which isn’t exactly the most popular or during the most coveted time slot, but is harper’s pride and joy!

employees and regulars of harper’s favorite haunts!

other natives of northmount, people she went to school with, people she grew up running into and/or annoying!

someone harper plays music with, since she was a musician long before she was a radio dj and her heart is still all-consumed by music!

former crushes, flings, fwbs, and exes in general!

friendly connects, considering harper sees a good time in almost everyone and is dearly loyal to her friends!

a less than friendly connect, since harper isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and not everyone is harper’s cup of tea!

anything under the sun you might be vibing!

[arielasfm]

❆ ( zion moreno, twenty-six, muse j, trans woman, she/her. ) i just saw ARIELA DIAZ in northmount. you know, the NEWSCASTER? there they were, being their typical -COLD and -REGRETFUL self. i’ve heard some say they’re +SUPPORTIVE and +CONSCIENTIOUS, but i don’t know. they sort of remind me of DESIGNER COATS, MORNING COFFEE RUNS, & PINK APRONS, but that’s just me. if you see them around, let me know, okay? and happy holidays! ( kae, 22, she/her, est. ) ❆

hello !! so i’d first like to say thank you to all of you for joining this little group !! this was just a little pipe dream pris & i had back in early november, but it’s finally coming to fruition & we could not be more grateful !! happy holidays, by the way ! we’re going to have the best time, i promise !! now, let me turn my little admin brain off & introduce you all to ariela.

ariela diaz was born on may 16th of 1995, making her a taurus sun/sagittarius moon. her mother is monica chavez, a waitress at a seafood restaurant in denver, colorado. in fact, denver is where ariela used to call home. she and her family used to live in an apartment right near the rockies. there were around four siblings, and ariela was the very oldest. the order went: ari, gracie, eddy, & dani.

things in the house initially were amazing when her dad was here. he would play games with all of them, handle conflicts, and not once complained about the load. he had this mega-watt smile whenever it was just him & the kids, but whenever ariela’s mother was home, it always turned to shit. her mother would always pick their grandmother up on her way home from work, and then it was two against one. with their father being the non-confrontational person he was, it always personally affected him, and he would never be the same until he was back with the kids. 

however, one day, it all went to hell. when ariela was fifteen, she heard her father through the thin walls saying his final goodbyes to her mother.

“you want me out? you want me out of your fucking life? you’ve got it, babe! you win! tell your mom i said congratulations!” he screamed.

he walked out of the house with all of his clothes, and not once did he say goodbye to the kids. from that day on, he was out of their lives forever. to this day, ariela still doesn’t know why.

from then on, her mother took up a second job at h&m to pay the bills. with their mother constantly busy, it was ariela’s turn to play parent. she didn’t get a single christmas or birthday present in those two years, but seeing the looks in her siblings’ faces was as good of a present as she could have asked her. then again, it did suck that nobody really bothered to celebrate her. why didn’t her father tell her that parenting was hell? between getting bubblegum out of daniela’s hair, convincing graciela to do her homework, and getting eddy to stop fighting his younger sister, ariela had her hands full. by the end of each night, she was exhausted, but whenever her mother came home, her mother said nothing about it. no “thank you”, no “good job”, nothing. only a simple “go to bed, all of you”, and then she was off to watch her television shows. this sucked for ariela, but what was she going to do about it? they both had their hands full. there was no point.

however, it all reached a boiling point on thanksgiving of 2014, in ariela’s senior year of high school. her mother promised ariela the next day off, since she had done so much for the past two years. however, when the big meal finally came and her mother casually announced that tomorrow would be another day in hell for ariela, she couldn’t take it.

“i can’t parent your kids! that’s your job! i’ve been doing it for two years, and i’m not doing it anymore. you can’t watch them? get your mom to do it. i have so much stuff to do this year. i’m trying to go to nyu! i can’t do that if i’m too busy watching your kids!” she exclaimed. 

she didn’t even bother to explain all the mental doubts growing within her regarding her life, her identity, and her future.

“family is there for family, nieta. family is there when we need them.” her grandmother reminded her.

“you don’t wanna contribute to this house? you have it made! a normal mom would force you to get a job by now! but no, you ‘don’t want to take care of your siblings’.” her mother whined, in a mocking tone.

“i have it made! that’s rich! watch your kids! i didn’t sign up for this, you did!” she groaned.

“you don’t wanna watch your siblings? then you can get the fuck out of my house.” her mother announced, her voice now low and threatening.

the next day, ariela used the two-hundred dollars from her previous birthday and took a one-way flight to new york. she crashed on some rockette’s couch from then on, until she finally was employed at twenty-four. 

it was here where she carved a new life for herself. ariela rory diaz. that had a nice ring to it. the first name was after ariel, her absolute favorite disney princess. the middle name was after rory gilmore, her favorite character and role model from her favorite television show. in her high school, she was practically treated like royalty. maybe that was due to her newfound sense of grace and refinement, all thanks to her new roommate, but it was unfamiliar to her. back in denver, people treated her like shit. this kind of treatment in big apple convinced her that maybe she could have it all. when her acceptance letter came back from new york university, that idea fully solidified.

after college, she went to columbia university for her masters, where she got her degree in only one year. at her masters program, one of her professors worked for a large new york news station. he appreciated her journalism work on campus and thoroughly enjoyed her papers, so after she received her degree, he offered her a job as a newscaster on his station. she finally had it made. she was on top of the world! if only her mother and father could see her now!

she worked at this station for roughly a year and a half when she finally got the northmount assignment. she wasn’t surprised. after all, the town was growing in tourists. even a few in this busy city were talking about it. it made sense that they wanted someone to see for themselves. she just wasn’t sure if she was ready for yet another mountainous region full of friendly faces. well, after she got here, she finally discovered she wasn’t.

this town is very family-oriented. she hasn’t seen her family in nearly nine years at this point, but it’s making her miss them like crazy. but she doesn’t even really miss them, she just mourns what they could have been. she misses the idea of watching eddy & dani grow up and get their diplomas, which they both received in 2019 respectively. she misses the idea of big family meals, which she hasn’t had in ages. she misses the idea of “i love you”, which she never got back in denver. she misses the idea of the floor lined in christmas presents. she misses the idea of a mother who would run her hands through her silky black hair and tell her that “everything’s gonna be okay”. this place reminds her of all that she misses, all that she missed out on, and all that she regrets.

looking at the families lining town square, she can’t shake the feeling that she wants children of her own. then again, she had that chance. she had the opportunity to be a parent of sorts, even if it wasn’t official, but she missed out on it. she said no. it’s too late, now. she’s got a career to focus on, and she doesn’t have a single clue who she would co-parent with. after all, she’s not really in any sort of relationship right now, nor has she ever really been. there was that one dude in college, but even then, they just made love in the bathroom of some stupid college dive. that doesn’t count. so all she could do is brush those feelings aside, try to focus on her work, ignore all external stimuli, and wait until she can finally come home. after all, there’s no reason to get attached to a stupid place like this, right? as of now, that’s the only thing holding her over.

alright, so that was her intro !! if you read all of that, you may be entitled to financial compensation, but if you’re a little nuts and you want more, you can find her statistics page here, her connection page here, and her playlist here. please feel free to like this post or message me if you want to plot. once again, thanks for joining ! i can’t wait to get to know all of you. let’s get this party started !!