Baking ♛ Danielle has been an avid baker from an early age. She found that it actually helped her maintain her dancer figure rather than discourage it, as the smell of the baked goods was enough to make her not want to eat. To this day, she spends a lot of time baking when stressed out or in need of a distraction, and especially when she needs to butter up to someone.
Puppies ♛ Dogs have been Danielle’s pride and joy since she was a little girl with her family’s golden retriever. Because she had no siblings or really any close relatives, that dog became her companion. Now that Caitlyn has grown a little more, she’s seriously considering buying a puppy, whether or not Zion is happy about it.
English ♛ Majoring in English at UC Irvine was a conscious choice, as Danielle has always loved the subject. She’s an avid reader and a writer, though she doesn’t commonly bring up the second one. Her favorite author is Sylvia Plath, but she enjoys the works of Nietzsche and Faulkner.
Smoking ♛ While she was well aware of the health consequences with smoking, Danielle used to carry around a pack of cigarettes after she turned 18. She realized there was something sexual about the act of smoking if done well, and used it solely for a tool. In terms of other drugs, in college, she was well known for smoke rings and simply smoked for aesthetic reasons, seldom because she felt the need too.
Vegas ♛ Vegas and New York City, both flashy, but both in different ways. Right after college, Danielle went to Vegas and spent about three years there. She used to live in Caesar’s Palace in a small apartment, as she worked her way up in the shows. She dabbles in gambling, finding something thrilling about taking risks with a potential of a high reward.
Jazz ♛ The Atwood’s raised Danielle in an unbelievably classy manner, and jazz music was constantly playing in the background of her life. To this day, Danielle has the record player her father gave her when she went to UC Irvine, and often plays old records while making dinner for herself or unwinding. Since she was a little girl, the only aspect about her wedding she truly cared about was the first dance song, and it has long been settled that it is the original La Vie en Rose by Edith Plaf.
Parenting style ♛ Because Danielle grew up under immense pressure from her parents in a fairly strict household, she knows she wants to do it a bit differently with Caitlyn. Expression is extremely important to her as a dancer, so she encourages any form of expression for Caitlyn. She doesn’t have any desire to enforce a dance career on her daughter, knowing first hand how difficult it is, or really any career, so long as she’s happy. She’s extremely relaxed and treats Caitlyn with respect, even though she’s still quite small. Her worst nightmare is Caitlyn ever fighting with her, though she knows it’s inevitable when she enters her teens.
Tea, not coffee ♛ Despite dating coffee fanatics, not once, but twice, for long periods of time, Danielle hates the taste, but loves the smell. Because of that, she would often make coffee for Zion and Rose, making what she liked to claim was a ‘damn good cup’. Instead, Danielle is a tea fanatic, drinking at least two cups a day. She finds it detoxes and relaxes her.
Whiskey on the rocks ♛ In college to make an extra buck, Danielle bartended, and to this day, enjoys mixing drinks. While she doesn’t drink as much as she did before Caitlyn, when she does, it’s either a glass of good wine (she’s one of the types to attend wine tastings not ironically) or state-of-the-art whiskey.
French ♛ Danielle grew up speaking both French and English, thanks to her parents who had lived in France for a while during their career, and raised her in both Paris and Lower Normandy, where they would vacation. She was raised in France up until the age of 11 before moving to California. She has great love for the country and hopes to bring Caitlyn there frequently once she’s older, even considering a property there—or even a permanent move dependent on circumstance.
Animals. While he can’t stand most people and their many imperfections, Dale really quite adores animals. In fact, throughout the years, some of his fondest connections have been with pets. When he was very young, with his father absent and his mother high on five different drugs, his most valuable support was his pet guinea pig. After that, there was a dog, who got run over by a hit-and-run car, and a snake, who his mother killed by forgetting to feed while Dale was gone for a week. Since then, life in Park Avenue has gotten him too busy for another pet, but he’s certainly considering getting a new companion for himself soon.
Big Screen. Dale absolutely cannot stand rom-coms, dramas, or comedies. He finds them cliche and mindless, two qualities he can’t tolerate for more than fifteen minutes at most. Instead, when he does watch a film, chances are it’ll be a documentary, a quality thriller, or something pretentious and independent. He’s insanely picky about his movies, because having two hours to spare is a rarity for him, so he wants to use it as effectively as he can.
Technology. Needless to say, his computers are his babies. He has five computers in total, four laptops and one desktop, which all serve different purposes. He looks after them with his life, each cleaned on a regular basis with hundreds of softwares built in to avoid viruses, but his Macbook is his crown jewel. The Mac is what he does all his hacking on, and because of that, a thumbprint and password is needed to log into the thing. Dale is nothing if not careful, to say the least.
Father. His dad walked out on the Cosgrave family before Dale was even brought into the world, and that was that. Dale made no effort to contact him at any point growing up, and really, he often almost forgot he had any other biological relationship than his mess of a mother. Thus, it came as quite the surprise to him when after he had made his third headline, Dale’s father contacted him through post with a request to meet up. Dale was quick to interpret that as the man’s way of wanting money now that he knew Dale could offer it. He ripped up the letter immediately, made sure his dad couldn’t reach him again, and arranged for the address on the envelope to be foreclosed by the bank.
High School. Dale’s high school experience was surprisingly pleasant. Despite being quite the nerd with the big glasses, educational extracurriculars, and high-level classes under his belt, he was still on the top of the social pyramid. His good looks and natural charm made up for any geeky qualities, and popularity came easily to him. Teens were simply much too easy to manipulate like that.
College. He really did enjoy his time at Columbia, and even if he was already years beyond his peers, he managed to learn a thing or two from his Computer Science major. With his level of talent, he was at the top of the class, but never hinted at his true coding potential. Were he to be too skilled, Dale would draw attention to himself, something he wanted to avoid. Still, once his four years were over, plenty of job opportunities to code for a variety of companies presented themselves. Dale accepted none of them; he preferred his work private, and had no interest in working for a bustling business that didn’t pay him enough.
Sleep. Unlike other with a schedule as filled as his, Dale makes plenty of time for sleep. He has faith in the thought that his productivity is most heightened when he’s had enough rest, and as such, sleeps roughly 8 hours in the very least at night. He also likes to take multiple naps a day, all lasting 23 minutes exactly in order to heighten his abilities and never leave him waking up groggy. He falls asleep most easily in boxers, but when he’s had someone over for the night, he doesn’t mind dozing off naked. He’ll take his sleep in any form he can get, in the end, specifics don’t matter too much.
Season. He loves the cold more than anything else, which is why winter is his favorite season. Christmas and New Year’s, two holidays that hold a place in his heart, were a plus, but above all, the weather is his biggest favorite. He’s always felt most at ease when the temperature was below zero, as he finds a reassuring kind of comfort in cold weather. Apart from that, he’s very big on stylish coats and designer scarves, two things that are most prominent in freezing conditions.
Cologne. Dale considers a person’s scent to be vital to their respectability. His nose is especially sensitive, and if someone happens to reek, he’ll be the first to pick up on it with disapproval. An especially prominent pet peeve of his takes form in a man covered in Axe Spray to the point where you can’t avoid gagging on it. His personal favorite cologne is Creed by Aventus, found exclusively in Saks Fifth Avenue, and he often likes to mix it with other scents to match the occasion.
Glasses. His glasses were prescribed to him back in the third grade, and unfortunately, Dale’s eyesight has only gotten worse since then. He needs them mainly for closeup sight, though his far sight isn’t perfect either. Contacts irritate his eyes to the point that he never wore them until he arrived at Park Avenue, where he’s ended up wearing them every time he goes out to make sure the paparazzi never gets the chance to call him ‘four eyes’. At home, however, you’ll always find him in his glasses.
Tinkering. Zion’s family income being what it was, he didn’t qualify for very much financial aid – and even back in early college, he wasn’t interested in explaining the situation to the Bursar at Brown. A part-time job at the local mechanic’s shop was his safest bet: hands-on experience with machinery, a fairly flexible schedule he could work around his studies, and no resume necessary to apply. He may have adapted to office life now, with his cushy Army contract and his own name-plated door, but his favorite days are the ones he gets to spend in the shop, supervising tests on prototypes he drew. Zion’s a tinkerer. He hopes to share that with Caitlyn as she gets older – the curiosity, the wonder – hell, he’s even bought her an old The Way Things Work book to start her off.
Bad influence? He feels terrible about this sometimes, he really does, but for the last couple of months, Zion’s been trying to get his younger brother Haris to consider a medical residency in New York. Haris has just started his final year at Baylor College of Medicine, and it would make sense for him to take a residency near his university – and Zion knows that, he does, but he’s so eager to have family back in his life that he’s been campaigning pretty hard for Columbia or Cornell instead. Haris isn’t super happy about the push. Of course, their parents are the opposite of happy about it – and his brother’s loyalty to the people who all but excommunicated Zion hurts a little more than he’s willing to admit.
Hannah. Zion’s relationship with Danielle was obviously the most meaningful one he’s ever had. His second most meaningful was the one he had with Hannah. He met her in April, 2004; he was a month from graduating with his Sc.M, and she was a semester into her A.M. in History. They dated for a year and a half, through his move to New York and her slow reneging of promises to join him there eventually, and even after she got her museum job in Boston, he was convinced they could make it work. They couldn’t. He doesn’t fare well with uncertainty, and too much of it was up in the air – the break-up happened slowly, over months, leaving the kind of aftertaste that ruined most dating attempts for the next few years.
Splash-on. Okay, so all the skincare specialists and dermatologists and shaving experts will tell you that aftershave splash is bad for your skin. Maybe they’re wrong, though, right? Does it really matter if they are? Zion grew up watching movies where men pat their faces down and wince at the menthol; he’s not about to trade in the liquid stuff for balm. It’s got a scent to it. It lingers. He buys the Truefitt & Hill stuff – Freshman, long-lasting – and it’s unique enough that he rarely uses cologne.
High heating bills. Going to school in the Northeast didn’t make him any better with the cold. Zion’s a summer person, through and through – he saves his air conditioning for when things get really bad, but keeps it off for anything below 90 – so when the temperature drops, his mood tends to go with it. He can’t deny people look better with frost-bitten skin. He just wishes New York winters were like vacation days, so he could keep the scarves and sweaters and overcoats and tensely chattering teeth to a few days a year.
Timothy Dalton, definitely. Zion cares a lot about James Bond. It’s one of those sleeper interests he doesn’t talk about unless prompted – or unless someone sees his Blu-ray box set, or the DVD box set he got before the Blu-rays came out. He grew up on James Bond movies (his third-grade dream job drawing was just him with a tuxedo on) and still turns to them when he’s having a particularly rough week. If he could’ve bought Spectre tickets this far in advance, he would have them taped to his refrigerator by now.
Profanity. He isn’t a prude. He just… doesn’t love cursing. It was always frowned upon at home, with his parents and his much-younger brother always around, and as he got older, the way he spoke got more important. Zion’s not awhat the heck kind of guy; he doesn’t say fiddlesticks or jeepers (he’s not a great-grandmother), and he tends to lean pretty heavily on Jesus Christ, or variants thereof. Plus, putting the truly rough swears on hold means he can save them for effect when he really needs them – namely, real anger, shock, or state-of-the-art sex.
Mensa. Zion’s IQ doesn’t break the bank. His parents paid pretty good money to get him tested as a child, and he paid pretty good money to re-test himself in his late 20s, and he falls at a Stanford-Binet 128. Mensa starts accepting at 132. He absolutely hates knowing this, and would never ever push an IQ test on his daughter – unless, of course, she started showing signs of prodigy.
SpaceX. If he could have any job in the world, he’d take a job working for Elon Musk. Humanitarian concerns aside (and, listen, Zion doesn’t not care about humanitarian concerns), the guy seems like he’s on the cutting-edge of technology with everything he does. SpaceX is just the coolest side of it: privatized space travel, rocket-building and Mars colonization and a NASA contract under its belt. He’s starting to feel unsure about working for the Army. And they’ve got their headquarters in California, where it’s sunny and dry – he knows he has to stay here to make things easier on Caitlyn, but he keeps SpaceX tucked away in case things ever go really far south.
Family. Speaking of making things easier on Caitlyn, Zion can’t stand the arrangement he’s made with Danielle. It’s the best one he could’ve hoped for, of course. They split the week right down the middle, and Caitlyn doesn’t have to change schools or city blocks or even buildings when they switch hands – but he missed her first walk, and her first words, and he knows he’s bound to miss a hell of a lot more as his daughter grows up. When she was born, one of the nurses took a picture of the two of them holding her; he hung it up in her room, so she never forgets that her parents both love her. But he knows living in the same apartment complex won’t keep their separation from affecting Caitlyn’s life. It definitely hasn’t softened the blow for him.
Sochi — Katerina’s most recent and final bid at the Olympics was at Sochi. Taking place in her home country of Russia, there was no chance in hell she wouldn’t be a competitor at the Games. Thus, she trained extremely hard in preparation both before and after making it. In the hopes of taking home her second gold medal, Katerina worked tirelessly and compulsively performed her routine until it was near flawless. Unfortunately, her work wasn’t enough for first place— rather, Katerina took second place with silver. The loss of the gold medal was the catalyst for her tipping point. The idea of not being good enough— scratch that, of not being perfect enough— shocked Katerina into a reality she had never been prepared to face.
Triple Axel — After years of training, Katerina decided that she would be one of the few skaters in the world who could perform a Triple Axel. Considered one of the hardest jumps to perform, Katerina refused to let the idea of a near impossible challenge dissuade her from trying. It took months upon months just for Katerina to build up the stamina needed for the jump only for more months to come in order to learn the technique. Two years later, at the age of 20, Katerina finally nailed the jump. She hails the exact moment her feet landed back on the ice as the moment she knew she’d be great.
Ballet — As much of ice skating revolves around grace and beauty, “dancing” on ice if one will, Katerina picked up ballet to use as an asset at the recommendation of one of her instructors. However, never would she had imagined she would grow to love it so much. Aside from ice skating, ballet might just be Katerina’s next passion. Dancing since she was seven, Katerina quickly developed a knack for the art style and when she wasn’t in the rink, she was in the studio. Decades later, Katerina still continues to pursue ballet though merely as a hobby. As much as she adores it, Katerina’s true passion is ice skating and she will never give that up.
Mental Illness — Having suffered a psychotic break herself and having to seek psychiatric treatment for it, Katerina is very sensitive towards the topic of mental illness. Nothing gets under her skin more than hearing someone use terms such as “insane” or “crazy” in derogatory or flippant terms. She gets especially furious if they make light of psychotic breaks. Very protective over those with mental illnesses, Katerina has absolutely zero patience for such remarks and has a tendency to grow very defensive. It’s the one, sure way to get Katerina to hate you.
Multilingual — Katerina is multilingual though she isn’t completely fluent in all the languages she speaks. Her first and preferred language is Russian, of course. Apart from that, however, she can speak English, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and some Polish. In terms of fluidity, Ukrainian and Bulgarian are the languages Katerina speaks best due to their closeness to the Russian language itself (especially Ukrainian). English is a language she can speak well enough but one Katerina struggles with nonetheless. Lastly, she is the least fluent with Polish, knowing only a little more than the basics of the language.
Family Relations — With everything her parents have sacrificed and given her, it’s safe to say that Katerina is quite close with them. Despite her resentment after they pushed her too far and her belief that they are partly to blame for her breakdown, her parents are the best parents she could’ve asked for. They’re the reason Katerina has Olympic medals she can call her own and why she’s able to live the life she does, pursuing her passions. Without their unconditional (and sometimes suffocating) support, Katerina would not be anywhere near where she is today and she knows that. That’s why she calls her parents twice a week and always ends the call with a ‘thank you.’
Sleeping — Katerina is a quick but light sleeper. Spending most of her days training and doing physically demanding activities, she is often exhausted by the time night rolls around. Thus, it doesn’t take her long to knock out on her bed. A side sleeper, Katerina is a fairly light sleeper— much to her dismay. Though it takes a little more than creak to wake her up, there is no chance she’ll ever sleep through an alarm clock. This is both a curse and gift because on one hand, it means Katerina is never late. On the other, however, living in the bustling borough of Manhattan makes it hard for her to get a full night’s sleep without waking at least twice during the night.
Training/Workout — An Olympic athlete, Katerina’s workout regime is incredibly demanding and physically exhausting. Often starting her day with a quick run and some varied workouts, Katerina spends most of her time either in the rink or preparing to go in it. Training in the rink is perhaps the most grueling part of her regime as this is where the magic happens: where Katerina practices her routines. After all, performing the same jump over and over again for hours on end until it’s perfect can be tiring. In fact, the only time Katerina can actually relax and loosen up is after her daily “end of the day” yoga session. It’s there where she realizes how much her muscles burn or how sore her legs are.
Russian Music — More often than not, Katerina’s preferred music is that of the Russian origin. Having downloaded a Russian radio app specifically after her move to America, the music brings a little taste of home to America. Furthermore, Katerina truly finds Russian music to be infinitely better than American music. Save for The Weeknd, Beyonce, and a few other artists, Katerina’s entire music library consists of her favorite Russian artists and bands. Not only does she understand them better but, in her opinion, they sing better too.
Perfume — Like any well-bred girl with a taste for all things fancy, Katerina’s favorite perfume to wear is the infamous Yves Saint Laurent Opium. Both unique and classy, she refuses to leave her apartment without spraying at least a little bit on. That’s the key, anyway— to spray a little. Too much of it and Katerina runs the risk of choking on her own scent. For that reason, only one or two pumps will do for her.
International Debutante Ball — With her mother and aunt being debutantes themselves, Harlow was introduced to society via the world’s most prestigious debutante club. Extremely exclusive, she was selected at the age of eighteen as a “representative” for the state of Connecticut. Escorted by a family friend and an assigned cadet of the United States Military Academy (as by protocol), it marked the first time Harlow was thrown headfirst into the world she was born into. Before then, save for various and relatively lowkey events, Harlow had never thought much of her wealth or family background. However, once she stepped foot into the ball, she began to understand her place in the world. Nevertheless, despite her initial fears of being surrounded by many important people, Harlow managed to make some connections— most of which she still has to this day.
The word “abuse” — Harlow will never ever say that she was abused. That word won’t leave her mouth and she’ll be damned before she even thinks about saying it out loud. Though deep inside she knows that’s what it was, Harlow can’t bring herself to say it. She’ll use words such as “hit” but never “abuse.” For some reason, the word is too foreign on her tongue, making everything that happened to her too real. In fact, her distaste for the word is so great that Harlow nearly cringes each time someone else says it. The very sound is like nails on a chalkboard to her ears.
Education — Having attended one of the best high schools in Connecticut— Greenwich Academy, an all-girls school— Harlow was given the best background possible to follow in her parents’ footsteps and head to an Ivy League school. Achieving an ACT score of 35 and SAT score of 2310, she applied and was accepted to various schools. In the end, though, Harlow chose to stay close to home and attended Yale in the nearby town of New Haven. Of course achieving everything she did during her schooling years wasn’t easy. Harlow rarely had time to herself in between building up her resume and it was a wonder she ever managed to make time for relationships while in high school and college. In the end, though, Harlow adored her education years which is why she’s such an advocate for studying hard and pursuing a higher education.
Tattoos — Harlow has two tattoos located throughout her body. On the side of her wrist is the word “joy,” a reminder to experience life with an open mind and happy heart. The second one is on the right side of her ribs and is a quote by Aeschylus: “It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.”
Family Relations — Though Harlow’s relationship with her parents is strained at best, she’s extremely close with her grandparents (and general extended family) on both sides. Her maternal grandparents definitely aided her throughout her parents’ marital problems. Given they lived nearby, she spent a massive amount of time with them when things got really bad and they never hesitated to steal her away for the evening in an effort to give her some peace and quiet. Her paternal grandparents, on the other hand, helped in taking her side and letting her parents know of their shortcomings. For those reasons, Harlow calls each set of grandparents on Sundays and Saturdays respectively. As for the rest of her family, she’s fairly close with her cousins whom are the closest things she has to siblings though she doesn’t see them nearly as often as she’d like.
Abuse Injuries — Over the course of her relationship(s), Harlow had sustained her fair amount of scarring and injuries. From simple bruises to small fractures, she’s had it all. Her most severe injuries, however, occurred on the night she left her last boyfriend. By the end of the ordeal, Harlow’s left ribs were badly fractured and actually ended up puncturing her lungs. Needless to say, her ribs are completely healed now but she tends to experience flashes of pain every now and then and goes for checkups often. On a lesser scale, she suffered multiple bruising and cuts to her face, one leaving a small, barely visible scar on the apple of her cheek. Fortunately, coupled with some torn hair, that was the most Harlow suffered. Still, the experience has left her scarred— physically and mentally
Flinching — Harlow, due to her past abuse, is a serious flincher. However, this wincing is only triggered by general sudden movements such as raising one’s hand for a high five without telling her beforehand. When this happens, it’s quite noticeable given she screws her eyes shut or involuntarily puts her arm up as though waiting to block a hit. Thus, upon realizing what she’s doing, Harlow has a tendency to grow incredibly embarrassed. As a result, she usually attempts laugh it off but it rarely works as her discomfort is painfully obvious. Typically after such an event occurs, Harlow will make a hasty excuse to leave the conversation in an effort to save face and collect herself.
NYFW— Though she hasn’t lived in New York long, Harlow has attended NYFW once before. The first time she went was with her mother. A former model, her mother still had connections and was able to attend the Givenchy and Versace show. Together, the two of them drove to New York and enjoyed their days there. It was then that Harlow realized she truly adored fashion. This year, however, will be her first time attending as a designer and sitting in the first few rows.
Designing — Harlow’s designs are unique and tread on the high side of the industry, influenced by everything from designers to New York to the people around her. Creating styles for both men and women (though mostly women), Harlow is on track to master the art of designing ensembles that embody what she believes fashion is about— wearing who you are and art itself. Each design she creates is specifically influenced by something whether it be a person or experience. Thus, she has a tendency to name her designs accordingly with some of her designs being dubbed ‘Zeus’ (a thunderstorm inspired dress) or ‘Dubble’ (a two piece outfit inspired by ‘Bubblegum Bitch’ by Marina and the Diamonds). The one design Harlow can never make, though? Wedding dresses.
TV Shows — Harlow doesn’t watch a ton of TV but when she does, there are two shows that dominate her screen: Law & Order SVU and Friday Night Lights. Her ultimate pleasures, Harlow has seen just about every single episode of SVU and 8/10 times that’s what she can be found watching on television. However, she typically just watches the earlier seasons. A big fan of the original cast, Harlow is an adamant believer that SVU without Munch and Stabler is no SVU at all. As for Friday Night Lights, Harlow only watches that show on Netflix. Though just in the second season, she’s already developed a soft spot for Tim Riggins and Matt Saracen, QB of her heart. Nonetheless, other shows she watches (though not as often) are Gossip Girl, Revenge, House of Cards, Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.
Here you go! Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Zion (and a whole bunch of stuff you don’t want to know, too) can be found under the cut. Credit to thephoenixwrite’s character chart.
BASIC STATISTICS
Full name: Zion Khalid Barnes.
Name origin: Both of their own parents having lived in the Middle East before coming to America, Zion’s parents chose a first and middle name that reflected their Christian Arab background.
Name meaning: Zion is an Old Testament name, from the Hebrew word for a mountain near Jerusalem, which has come to mean monument or raised up. Khalid is Arabic, derived from the word خلد (khalada), and means to last forever. The surname Barnes has some dodgy etymology, but it’s either Anglo-Saxon, Norse, or Irish, and probably just means one who works in / lives near a barn.
Nickname: Barney, Zi, Z.
Nickname origin: Barney was all Danielle, playing with his last name; Zi and Z are more obvious shortenings. He also signs all his work documents as Z.K. Barnes, a way to skirt around his potentially-controversial name in such a military, political environment.
Does s/he like the nickname?: The only one he can tolerate now is Z, honestly..
Sex: Cis male.
Age: Thirty-four.
Birthday: 27 October 1980.
Place of birth: Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ.
IQ: 128.
Blood type: B+.
Race: Caucasian.
Ethnicity/Nationality: Arab-American (Egyptian).
Sexuality: Heterosexual.
Relationship status: Single, never married.
Political allegiance: Registered Democrat.
Criminal record: None.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
Faceclaim: Rami Malek.
Height: 6'0" (1.84m)
Weight: 160 lbs (72kg)
Body type: Lean, with light muscles that blend into his bones.
Eye color: Green.
Need glasses/contacts?: No, though both of his parents grew into reading glasses, and he fears the same fate.
Skin tone: Olive.
Face shape: Diamond.
Hair color: Black.
Hair texture: Stubbornly wavy, prone to humidity curls.
Describe hairstyle: It’s short. Can’t be too short, or it’ll be all curls – can’t be too long, or it’ll look sloppy; no, Zion tries to always stay in a sweet-spot where he can avoid styling products but still has enough to antagonize with his fingers. He’s happiest when there’s more length on top than on the sides. His new barber overdoes it.
Grooming: Zion isn’t a compulsive washer, but he’s certainly a brush-teeth-twice-a-day, shower-seven-days-a-week kind of guy. Clean fingernails. Never more than a day unshaven.
Distinguishing features: Frequent, faint freckles that mix with a few more prominent beauty marks on his forehead, chin, and right ear. Eyes round and wide like a cartoon character.
Scars: Small faded scar just under the curve in his lower lip (childhood fall); linear scar on right forearm (kitchen clumsiness); thin scar near top of right ring finger (mechanical accident).
Tattoos: None.
Expressions: His default is thoughtful – brow low, lips parted (never did learn to shut his mouth) – and he transitions easily to more animated features. Expressive eyes means you’re always expressive. Keeping his face quiet is a fight.
Describe his/her smile: Zion has noticeable nasolabial lines, which gain a lot of prominence when he smiles. A slight overbite has his smiles usually ending with a bitten lip, his bottom row of teeth rarely showing, though quiet, proud smiles are closed-mouth and almost never symmetrical.
Who does s/he take after?: Physically? His father, for sure. Most of his features match up well with his father’s, though his face-shape and chin are more maternally-derived.
Left or right-handed?: Right-handed.
How does s/he dress?: Consciously. He doesn’t go too expensive with it, still content with Brooks Brothers dress shirts, though he’ll spring for Ralph Lauren if it matters. Solid slim-cut button-ups are his go-to for work, though sometimes brightly- or unusually-colored, with dress slacks and a belt. On his days off, he still prefers chinos to jeans. Long-sleeve t-shirts, occasionally. Almost never short.
Why does s/he dress in the above manner?: Appearances matter to Zion, who grew up with money and then spent a good ten years in some serious debt. He wants to be taken seriously, to project a sort of calm authority, and to maintain some level of his personality.
Any special accessories? If so, why are they special?: An Omega Geneve 1973, which his father had gotten the summer before medical school, and which he gave to Zion on the boy’s 18th birthday. His choice to wear it, and continue wearing it now, is equal parts defiance and pride.
Something s/he always carries with him/her: His phone. Like, always.
Weapons: None.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION
Pace of speech: Slow. His words linger, rolling after each other; most of his urgency comes through a shift in tone, not speed.
Voice tone: Articulate and low.
Accent/Dialect: Neutral American. The Southwest isn’t known for a strong accent, and living so long in the Northeast has made him awfully proud of that.
Any favorite/habitual words or phrases? Curse words?: Jesus Christ (and its variations) are more common than outright curse words for Zion, who holds onto those for impact. He probably overuses look and listen as prefaces.
Describe his/her laugh: Quiet. Silent, sometimes, all breath through his nose. The real laughs – the big ones, the noisy ones – come from shock. A few syllables of his wide mouth and proud hands.
Describe general vocabulary or speech pattern: Educated and carefully-chosen, so long as he’s not in the middle of an argument. He stays away from provocative language.
Mannerisms/demeanor?: People tend to interpret Zion’s understated, temperate demeanor as shyness. Really, he’s just confident, gracious, and awfully excitable.
Is this character generally balanced or clumsy?: Balanced.
Typical posture: It varies. If Zion carries his exhaustion in his eyes, then he carries his stress in his shoulders; they’ll stiffen in a slump, and he’ll lean, and he’ll struggle to stay straight. Creativity, too, will have him curling strangely in chairs.
Describe their walk: Average? He doesn’t have a distinctive walk at all, though he walks with purpose most of the time.
Describe their fighting style: He doesn’t fight physically. Verbally, though… Christ. When Zion’s in an argument, he’s in it to win. All of the courtesy goes out the window, and he’s left with vindictive pride that refuses to settle.
Gestures: He fidgets when impatient or holding back. He uses his hands to talk when he’s explaining something, or sometimes when he’s excited (there is usually some overlap).
Common/habitual gestures: Adjusting his watch, finger-combing his hair, tapping a pencil (or failing to twirl it).
EVERYDAY BEHAVIORS/HABITS
Personal habits/addictions: Zion developed a caffeine habit while in college, and he still hasn’t managed to kick it. He hasn’t really tried, honestly – what’s a few cups of coffee and a 5-hour energy every once in a while?
Morning routine: We’ll go through a weekday without Caitlyn. He wakes up to a 6:00 alarm, which he snoozes until 6:15. By 6:30, he’s brewed a pot of coffee, and he starts on his first cup while reading the NYT and checking his email. He’s still half-asleep, of course — it takes an intentionally-lukewarm shower, a fresh, stinging shave, and a second cup of coffee to get him there — and by 7:15, he’s leaving for the subway. It’s half an hour to work on the green line. He’s never later than 8.
Afternoon: If it’s still a weekday, he’s still at work in the afternoon. On a conference call, in a meeting, making a presentation, looking over estimates, tweaking a design, watching a test-run — all day, save for lunch, which he takes with coworkers whenever possible.
Evening routine: Zion’s never finished with work at 7, but he aims to leave by then. He’ll go for a run, shower (at a proper hot temperature, this time) make himself dinner, try to multitask by watching Mad Men (he’s three seasons behind), fail to multitask, and then it’s whatever work he can get done from home before he starts nodding off around 11:30. Some nights, he’ll have a couple of beers with friends, or he’ll have an alumnus interview to do in the early evening, or he’ll wind up looking at children’s furniture online for way longer than he wanted to — some nights he just flat-out procrastinates. And these days, with his new work project, he’s getting home a lot later than he’d like.
Sleep habits: Nodding off isn’t the same thing as sleeping. He may start to get tired early, but Zion rarely falls asleep when he wants to, bound to spend at least half an hour tossing and turning. This has very little to do with noise or light, though, as he can sleep through quite a lot, and is frequently slow to find his wits upon waking. He sleeps in his boxers, on his front, always on the right side of the bed.
Does this character snore?: Lightly, during high-pollen months.
Any special talents or skills?: He’s handy, definitely. Has an eye for fixing things. He’s good at technical drawing, too — sharp lines, negative space, details that don’t crowd the image — which carries over into some very minor sketches of non-work stuff that he’s pretty private about. He’s also an above-average cook, and his paper airplanes fly farther than anyone else’s.
What is s/he particularly unskilled at?: Zion knows very little about art. He has a completely unremarkable singing voice. He’s only ever gotten hyper-anxious the six times he’s been high, he’s killed every plant he’s tried to grow, and cannot sell a lie.
Hobbies: Does tinkering count? Anything he can do with his hands is something he likes to do, tired of all the office- and desk-work that comes with his job. He’s hoping to start volunteering with a high school robotics program. Zion’s also been working on re-learning Arabic (very slow-going), and he runs at least four days a week.
LIFE
Current Address: 740 Park Avenue, Apartment #375, New York NY 10021
Does s/he rent or own?: He rents.
Does s/he live with anyone? If so, who?: His daughter lives with him on weekends, but otherwise he lives alone.
Brief description of home: Zion lives in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom, single-floor apartment. It has a fairly open floorplan, with the kitchen, living room, and dining area all sharing a similar space. The furniture is modern, mostly dark colors, deep-stained woods and well-placed windows.
What is their bedroom like? Because Caitlyn’s room was originally designed to be a study, and because Zion still really needs space to work from home, his bedroom is dual-purposed for now. His bed (a platform queen) is near the windows, with a nightstand to the right. A drafting table and a small bookshelf are closer to the door, next to a large bulletin board. His closet is walk-in.
Describe the area in which s/he lives: Lenox Hill is one of the more antique, luxury neighborhoods in Manhattan. Art galleries, five-star hotels, and designer boutiques are close by, as is the Whitney Museum.
Is this his/her ideal home and location? If not, what would s/he prefer?: Yes and no. Zion chose to get an apartment in 740 Park because it allows him to stay close to his daughter, so it’s certainly ideal for his situation. He’d probably prefer to live in Chelsea, where he could be close to the water, take Caitlyn on better walks, and be surrounded by a slightly bigger socioeconomic range.
Home décor: Zion is not an interior designer. He chose his furniture himself, for the most part, but he needed a little help arranging it – help that involved a couple of his friends and a liquor debt. It’s clean, minimalist and downplayed, though it wasn’t exactly cheap.
Does s/he drive? If so, what car?: Yes! He drives a 2011 Saab 9-3, black.
Spouse/partner: Danielle Atwood, ex-girlfriend and partner in parenting.
How did the character meet his/her spouse, and when did they get married?: They met while running in Central Park; he came back earlier the next day, and made a habit of running with her despite her clear lack of enthusiasm for a partner. After a few runs together, and a few shot-down date proposals, she finally said yes.
Is this character still with his/her spouse? If no, why not?: No. They had completely different reactions to Danielle’s pregnancy, and the bitter misunderstandings that came from those differences drained out all the love they had for each other.
Children: Caitlyn Atwood-Barnes, 2½ years old
What’s this character’s relationship with his/her child(ren?): Zion shares custody of Caitlyn, who lives with him from Friday to Monday each week. He goofs off with her, misses her when she’s gone, and prioritizes her over everything else.
Pets: None.
Occupation: Aerospace Engineer.
Job Satisfaction: High. Though he sometimes wonders if he wouldn’t prefer working for a private company like SpaceX or Boeing, he has a fair amount of freedom with his government job, and has no immediate plans to look elsewhere.
Income: Roughly $240k a year.
Finances: Comfortable! Zion’s salary may not compete with what some of his neighbors make, but working for the government allows him rent subsidies and other kickbacks that go a long way. As he makes more strides in his career, he stands out more as one of New York’s finest engineers – which helps him a lot when end-of-year bonuses come around.
General health: Fine. In fact, save for a minor pollen allergy, Zion’s fit as a fiddle.
Past health problems, if any: A yearly bout of pneumonia as a child wound up as an adenoid- and tonsilectomy.
FAMILY OF ORIGIN
Father: Riyad Barnes.
Father’s occupation: Radiation Oncologist at Banner – University Medical Center.
Father’s relationship to character: For much of his childhood and adolescence, Zion saw his father as a role model, of sorts; even if he didn’t follow in his path, Riyad taught him a lot about responsibility, masculinity, and prioritizing your life. They have not spoken since Zion was cut off from the family, but as Zion gets older (and begins to resemble his father more physically), he finds himself missing Riyad’s guidance.
Mother: Mariam Barnes née Nabhani.
Mother’s occupation: Gynecological Surgeon at Banner – University Medical Center.
Mother’s relationship to character: Mariam was the more lenient parent in the household, and though Zion was never especially close to her, he has a lot of respect for her strength. She has been the least receptive to reconciliation, which plays heavily into some of Zion’s insecurities now that he has a child of his own.
Did the character’s parents raise him/her? If not, why?: Yes, they both raised him.
Are the character’s parents still together? If not, why?: Yes.
Does the character live with his/her parents?: No. He has not been back to their house since the summer before his freshman year of college.
Grandmother(s): Nena Barnes (paternal, deceased); Zahra Nabhani (maternal, deceased)
Grandfather(s): Alim Barnes (paternal, deceased); Lukmon Nabhani (maternal)
Grandparents’ relationship to character: Zion was quite young when his maternal grandmother died, and both of his paternal grandparents were deceased by the time he was born. Lukmon Nabhani, his mother’s father, is the only one he had an opportunity to know – he regrets not having spent more time with him before leaving Arizona.
Does the character have siblings?: Yes. Haris Barnes, younger brother, 24.
Siblings’ relationship to character: Haris was only eight years old when Zion left home. Their relationship has rekindled only recently, and mosly consists of phone calls and emails that still haven’t made it past the initial strain.
How has this character’s relationship with their siblings changed since childhood?: Zion and Haris have more than a ten year difference between them, which made it difficult for them to get along as children. But Zion’s move to the East Coast left a big impression on Haris, and catching up on each other’s lives is bringing them closer together.
Extended family and relationship to character: Zion has a large family on his father’s side, with four uncles and several cousins who all live in the American (South)West. He receives facebook notifications from them from time to time, but they have not made any significant contact.
Describe his/her family life and dynamic while growing up: Despite their demanding jobs, Zion’s parents had a surprisingly traditional relationship. They were affectionate for anniversaries, civil for most conversations, and their arguments were rarely in front of their children. Zion and Haris were given what he now calls “fake freedom” – they were allowed to choose for themselves, so long as they chose from the options their parents handed them. Rather than argue, Zion worked surreptitiously against them until college.
THE PAST
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona.
Describe his/her childhood: His biggest obstacle growing up was his parents’ micromanaging. He lived comfortably in wealth, had a somewhat active social life, and was never threatened with parental abuse.
Earliest memory: It’s almost definitely apocryphal, but he swears he remembers being roughly two years old, attempting to climb out of an inflatable kiddie-pool, falling backwards, and crying. It was hot outside. His father’s shirt was blue.
Happiest memory: The birth of his daughter. Listen, just about everything good in Zion’s life right now is Caitlyn, and the first time he got to hold her is just unbeatable.
Saddest memory: He’ll tell you it was realizing he’d missed Caitlyn’s first steps, or realizing he’d missed Caitlyn’s first words, but Zion’s saddest memory is telling Danielle that he was moving out. Breaking up their family, and accepting defeat.
Most embarrassing memory: When he was in his first semester at Brown, still trying to learn how to balance school and two part-time jobs, he arrived late to a physics final. He flat-out begged the professor to give him a chance to make it up, citing his good attendance and class participation, only to nod off halfway through the make-up and still fail it. He later dropped the second job.
Most important event in the character’s life that still affects him/her and why/how: Zion’s parents’ decision to cut him out of their lives has completely shaped who he has become. On the plus side, it’s given him a greater appreciation of family, opened his eyes to the struggles of working-class or poor Americans, and instilled in him a nearly-unrelenting need to persevere. Unfortunately, it’s also made him competitive, obsessed with success (financial or otherwise), and oftentimes selfish, as he believes he’s ultimately the only person he can rely on.
Biggest disillusions from childhood: Even “days off” are still work days. Pets aren’t worth the effort. Snow is never fun for more than half an hour. People can be kind and still be racist. It is, in fact, not enough to just want something really bad.
How much school did s/he attend? Did s/he like school?: Zion has a high school diploma, an Sc.B. in Engineering Physics, and an Sc.M. in Solid Mechanics. Despite a downright stellar academic record, he struggled with staying focused in high school, and had to work very hard for his grades.
What is the worst thing this character has ever done?: Once, in a fight that would otherwise have barely grazed their Top 10 Worst, he called Danielle “unlovable.”
EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS:
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Spontaneous or structured? Structured.
Instinctual or logical?: Instinctual.
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Has this character dealt with the loss of someone they knew?: Besides his maternal grandmother, who died when Zion was 4, he has not known anyone who died.
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RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
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Current girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse: None
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Who is the most important person in his/her life right now and why?: His daughter, Caitlyn. Her immense vulnerability, their shared DNA, and all of the things she represents (newness, relevance, forgiveness, unconditional love) key right into Zion’s romantic sense of responsibility.
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Worst end of a relationship: Danielle Atwood takes the cake on this one, too. There’s no worse break-up than one you have to support with facts, coordinated by lawyers, while still living together and caring for a newborn.
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SEX/ROMANTIC LIFE
What do they consider to be a romantic date?:
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Virgin?: No.
Describe his/her sex life: Being an unmarried father with a bit of a martyr complex will really kill your sex life. One-night-stands don’t have very much appeal, long-term dating is almost impossible right now, and he’s happy to play the disciplined, doting dad.
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Does this character have self-control around individuals of his/her sexual desire?: Evidently.
Does sex play an important role in his/her relationships?: Yes! Yes. To Zion, sex is exciting, stress-relieving, natural, outright enjoyable fun he can have with something beautiful – and, the other, more intricate intimacies (giving, getting, sharing, being responsible for someone else’s pleasure) make it absolutely essential.
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Have they ever impregnated someone, or been impregnated?: Once. They went through with the pregnancy, and he now has a daughter.
Have they ever had intercourse or a sexual experience with the sex to which they are not attracted?: No.
MENTAL ATTITUDES/PERSONAL BELIEFS
Meyers-Briggs Personality Type: ESTP-A (The Entrepreneur).
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Enneagram:
Hogwarts House:
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Known languages: Fluent in English (native language), can read some Arabic (grandparents’ native language).
Self-confidence:
Optimist or pessimist?: Optimist. Hell, Zion’s almost an idealist – but only almost.
Extrovert or introvert?: Extrovert.
Emotional or logical?: This one’s a tough one. His emotions inform and cloud his logic, but he still tries to make decisions based on what makes sense.
Patient or impatient?: Patient, but sometimes antsy.
Compassionate or self-involved?: Compassionate.
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Religion: Raised very, very loosely Christian.
Does the character believe in a god or goddess?: No.
What are the character’s spiritual beliefs?: None.
Is religion or spirituality an important part of this character’s life?: No.
Superstition: He’s not sure he entirely believes it, but as a kid he picked up the concept of “jinxed” success and he’s been half-seriously wary of it ever since.
Chinese zodiac: Monkey
Astrological Zodiac: Scorpio I
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LIKES AND DISLIKES
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Place: Central Park. Lame, but true.
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TV Show: Mad Men / Top Gear / Last Week Tonight.
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Mode of transportation: Driving. Zion loves driving. Why else would he have a car in Manhattan?
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