Birthdate: December 19th, 1980 ( 37 )
Gender and Pronouns: Male, he/him
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Neighborhood: Midtown, Manhattan
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer
Faceclaim: Jake Gyllenhaal
Trigger Warnings: Heart Attack.
From the moment his was born, James got everything he wanted. Being the only child born after a series of unsuccessful pregnancies meant his parents spoiled him rotten. Anything he asked for, he got, and so when he started asking for a little sister, his parents eventually complied. Adoption was the only option, and after a lengthy process, James got the little sister he always wanted. They named her Vera, and although James initially only wanted a little sister because his best friend had one, she became his whole world. He went from being a spoiled brat to a doting older brother, who put his little sister first and above everything. It lead to teasing in school, with even his friends calling him a baby for hanging out with a baby, butJames didn’t mind. People teased him already anyway, for the thick glasses he needed to see, and the million and one questions he asked in every lesson. It all turned around as he got older, as the qualities that used to make people think he was a loser made him more attractive. His incessant questions made him smart rather than annoying, and his love for his little sister made him a caring family man rather than a baby. It helped that he grew into his looks, and switched his awful glasses for contact lenses as soon as he was able. He was well spoken, charismatic and funny, but so unused to all the positive attention that it soon got to his head. Lying and cheating became a second nature, and it carried over into every aspect of his life. In school, at work, in every relationship, there was never a moment in which James wasn’t manipulating people for his own gain.
James saw nothing wrong with who he had become. People liked him, his professors liked him, and he was doing well both academically and at work. All it took for him to develop a conscience was for his little sister to grow old enough to show an interest in boys. That made James realize the awful truth; that he had become the type of man he would fight to keep away from his sister. As far as Vera knew, he was a trustworthy and loving man, the best big brother in the world. James wanted that to be true, and from that day forward, he has never stopped trying to become a better person, although stumbling every step of the way. He got his Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, found a decent job, and settled down with a girl who was almost as dirty as him. If asked, James would say that he was happy, but part of him always felt like he had settled. His lack of commitment complicated things in his relationship, and rumors of a job opening in New York got him itching for a chance to get out. And so he did it again, cheating his way into a closed interview, charming his way into getting the job, and snatching the opportunity right under his best friend’s feet. Ex best friend, since they are no longer on speaking terms. That job too ended his relationship, although his unwillingness to propose was the main reason his girlfriend walked out. James has never acknowledged that, and to this day insists that the move to New York was what brought his five-year-long relationship to an end.
In spite of it all, leaving his sister and failing on his promise to be a better person were his only regrets. Landing a job at a robotics firm was a dream come true, and life in the city suited him best. Ambitious as he was, James climbed that corporate ladder as fast as his wit and charm would take him, becoming project manager in four short years. He was on track for bigger and better things, but a heart attack brought all this plans to a halt. An undiagnosed condition was putting a strain on his heart, and after thirty-six years, it finally caught up to him. James went through surgery and recovery alone, choosing to keep his condition a secret. It was dangerous and stupid, but he didn’t want the condition to change how people perceive him. The unexplained leave of absence he took off work did just that, however, and ever since then James has been struggling to get his career back on track.
( + ) ambitious, ingenious, protective.
( - ) materialistic, picky, two faced.