#tbio

[miss-fleischwolf]

azazel <3

[troywhitaker]

TROY (VALOR) WHITAKER is a 145 year old PANSEXUAL, CISMALE, HE/HIM here in Upper America. People say they look a lot like JAY RYAN. They are LOYAL but can be MOODY. They are a LESSER WEREWOLF. They belong to the CODONA FAMILY in the city living in The Underbank and work as a MECHANIC

His parents died young, leaving him in the care of Astrid ‘Mama’ Codona, who he adores.

Valor grew close to Silky (whom he was close in age to,) that they weren’t blood related was negligible to him. Even for a wolf he was fiercely loyal and attached to the family that had welcomed him with open arms.

When it came time for war, there wasn’t a chance he wasn’t going to his fight, for his family and for wolves in general. He may be a lesser wolf but he is a fierce fighter.

Cornered by Queen Kanopia herself, it was she who tore open the right side of his face. The only reason he isn’t dead, is because Silky rushed in to save him.

Kanopia killed his adopted sister instead of him, and if it hadn’t been for the fact he was worn down with battle and blood loss, the grief he lost himself to might have been the death of himself as well.

The guilt will never leave him. It was never supposed to end this way.

Even though Mama would have had his loyalty for life either way, it deepened his devotion, and Valor would do anything she asked of him, even if it sent him to his death. (He has every intention of somehow helping her have Kanopia’s head, whatever the consequence for him.)

He can be moody, but is generally not snappy with other werewolves. The mood changes are noticeable in their own way, with him often seeming more quiet in response.

Troy is surprisingly good with kids. Even when he’s moody as hell they get a smile and he’ll play with them – but he has yet to have any of his own.

He’s good with his hands. Not just for mechanics, either ;)

[hallowgrove]

All things Nicolas “Nic” Danvers...

Age: 33 years old Occupation: Newspaper Reporter/Designer & Adjunct Professor Birthdate: 27th of July 1985 Sexuality: Bisexual Gender: Male Neighborhood: Province How long they’ve lived in Hallow Grove: March of 2018 Faceclaim: Michiel Huisman

History

Nicolas Danvers was born, raised, and educated in Houston, Texas. As the only child, he was expected and groomed to one day take over his father’s business ventures. A polite name for a business that specialized in smuggling illegal goods from other countries for more dangerous people who sold them. Not that Nicolas knew that was what his father was doing when he was a child. All he knew was that the people his father trusted were like family to him.

It was from an early age, growing up around so many people, that Nic learned that family is more about who cares about you than who you’re related to by blood. Nicolas grew up alongside the children of the people his father worked with. Their parents jokingly called them The Pack. There were about a dozen or so of them from varying ages, and though Nic was not the oldest of them, he did turn out to be the informal leader of their pack.

Once Nic got older, the pressures from his father to take on the family business grew. He became more involved in the legal side of their business, until the day that he discovered what his father was really doing. How illegal and dangerous most of the things his father was importing actually were. On that day, his world shifted. Nicolas’ rose-coloured glasses were gone and he had to face the stark reality of who his father really was, not the man that Nic had wanted him to be.

Nicolas was thinking about leaving. He was already in his second year of college, but he could still transfer. He got as far as filling the paperwork out, but then he set them aside and forgot about them. It was around this time that Nicolas became close with a woman named Veronica, whom he later ended up marrying. Looking back he should have realised there were some red flags in their marriage, but he was too blinded with his love to see them. It didn’t take long for his marriage to end in a total disaster about 3 years after saying “I do”.

Because of his disillusionment with his father, Nicolas decided to switch his major from one that his father had wanted for him to one that he really wanted to do: Journalism. Writing was something that had always been an escape for him. When he first started University he got a job writing for the college’s newspaper and fell in love. He loves the idea that everyone has a story to share, and he just wants to accurately share those stories with others.

When Nicolas finally decided to leave Texas and the lies of most everyone in his life, he moved around for a bit before finally landing in Hallow Grove. He took up a job writing and formatting for the local paper, and has even begun moonlighting as an adjunct professor for the Intro to Journalism class at Toulouse University. Nicolas just wants a new life, a fresh start away from the world he grew up in. But it’s not as easy as he would like to forget an entire life.

[hallowgrove]

All things Caleb Masson…

Age: 28 years old Occupation: Manager of Noel’s Vintage Birthdate: 30th of July 1990 Sexuality: Homosexual Gender: Trans-male Neighborhood: Bayonne How long they’ve lived in Hallow Grove: March of 2009 Faceclaim: Alexander Vlahos

History

Caleb was born in the middle of nowhere Arkansas, the youngest of five children born to rural farmers. It wasn’t a bad life, and Caleb learned how to work from a young age as all the children pitched in to help with the farm chores. There was an eight year gap between Caleb and the youngest of his older siblings and an almost twelve year gap between him and the oldest child. He was never really close with his siblings, as they all tended to fuss over him like parents instead of being real playmates.

The person in his family he was closest to was his mother’s mother, his Grandmother Marie, who probably felt just as alone in the world as he did. She passed away when he was 11, but not before she passed on her witty sense of humor and her language to her only grandchild who had cared to listen to her.

Growing up as a child, Caleb never really seemed to get along well with other children his age. There were friends, but he was never really close with anyone. There was something about him that drew bullies near to him, and the other students didn’t want to also be targeted, so they didn’t hang out with him often. Caleb never really felt like he fit in with his life. It felt like a pair of clothes a size too small that kind of fit, but he knew he would be more comfortable with something else.

At that age, and in the rural Midwest, Caleb was never given the words to describe how he felt. It wasn’t until he got older that he learned it. The word transgender was freeing, like a weight had been lifted off him. Yet, somehow the label made him feel more trapped than he ever had been. He had a word to describe it, a way to identify what he had felt his whole life, but no way to act on it. He kept it quiet, and didn’t say anything to anyone.

But the truth festered under his skin until he had to tell someone. So he told one of his older sisters. She then told their parents. His mother cried and his father yelled, and in the end they chose to ignore anything that Caleb had said. He celebrated his 16th birthday in a house that barely even acknowledge that he lived there anymore. They didn’t kick him out, but when he left they made no effort to stop him.

Caleb had always wanted to visit New Orleans, so he hitchhiked his way across Arkansas and Louisiana to get there. He was more alone than he had ever been, but at the some time he felt free. The first thing that he did when he reached New Orleans was get a haircut and begin introducing himself as Caleb. For the next four years, Caleb would float in and out of shelters designed to keep people like him off the streets. He tried to get jobs, but no one really wanted to give a transgender runaway a chance. No one until Noel.

Having no car and no house, Caleb did not stray very far from New Orleans. He made a few friends, some people he actually trusted a little, who were always travelling up to this place called Hallow Grove for raves in these abandoned warehouses. He began to tag along with his friends, and though he was just seeing one portion of the town, he began to fall in love.

After three years on the busy streets of New Orleans, the quaint and quiet atmosphere of Hallow Grove was a breath of fresh air. That’s when Caleb started spending more and more time there, just wandering around and taking in the town. On one of his early morning walks while the rest of his friends were still passed out from the night before, Caleb found Noel’s Vintage. It was a small store that was easy to overlook. Walking in, Caleb was instantly in love with the organized chaos of it all. It felt like every surface was covered with something, and every surface had a story to tell.

On a whim, Caleb saw a help wanted sign at check-out and asked about it. Noel in his old age was looking for help around the store: lifting, cleaning, minding the front, that sort of thing. There was no reason to give Caleb a chance, but Noel must have seen something in Caleb that everyone else had overlooked a long time ago.

Caleb crashed on a friend’s couch in Hallow Grove for a few weeks, then not wanting to overstay his welcome, started sleeping in one of the warehouses the raves were thrown in. It wasn’t the warmest place Caleb had ever stayed, but not the coldest either. Then one day as he was climbing out the window of the warehouse, Noel happened by. Caleb tried to play it off, but even Noel knew that people didn’t live in the warehouses if they could help it.

The next day, Caleb wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but certainly not what happened next. Noel took Caleb to the upstairs of the store, a little attic room that was once the living quarters for the shopkeeper. Noel used it for storage, and the whole apartment needed updating and fixing, but Noel said that he was worried about people breaking in to the store so would like it if Caleb could clean it up and stay here. Caleb didn’t even hesitate in agreeing, and managed to wait until Noel went back down stairs before bursting into tears.

Caleb’s life started steadily improving from that point. He decided to get his G.E.D and even took a few classes at Toulouse University in business and management. He stopped going to bed hungry and was able to buy more than three pairs of clothes. Most importantly to Caleb, he was able to officially change his name and start a stable hormone regimen. He was expecting to stay for maybe a few years and then move on, not used to having anything stable in his life anymore. But then before Caleb knew it, 10 years had passed. He hadn’t expected to want to stay anywhere that long, but he was happy with where he ended up. Noel was like family now, and for the first time since he was a small child he actually felt like he had a home.

[hallowgrove]

All things Jack Leighton...

Age: 38 years old Occupation: Aerospace Engineer Birthdate: 3rd of September 1984 Sexuality: Bisexual Gender: Male Neighborhood: Marseille How long they’ve lived in Hallow Grove: April of 2013 Faceclaim: Jake Gyllenhaal

History

Jack was born under slightly unusual circumstances. Those being of his parentage. Instead of having a mother and father, he had two mothers, Marie & Susan, who desperately wanted a child, yet could not afford the costly treatments of in vitro fertilization nor could they get approved to adopt a child. This was causing a bit of stress on their relationship, causing the women to fight and bicker unnecessarily. Needing desperately to fix what was going awry in their relationship, the women proposed a trip to Vegas hoping it’d rekindle the spark that was fading.

It was there the idea came to them, whilst drinking by the poolside. There was an abundant amount of men in the city due to it being winter break and all. And once the two women got to thinking they kept adding on. Joking about how Marie could bed any man here, and since the guy would more than likely be drunk, and it was Vegas, they’d never have to worry of seeing or hearing from him again. It was a drunken idea, not well thought out, nor truly thought it’d ever come into fruition. However, Marie couldn’t shake the idea and decided to act on the plan.

It wasn’t until a month later upon returning to Detroit, did the women learn that they were indeed pregnant.Too overjoyed with the news to care about the specifics, they quickly set on their way to starting the family they dreamed of.  Agreeing to have Susan adopt their son once he was born and giving him both their names. Having Leighton be his last name since he was genetically Marie’s, and Ainsley being his middle name to represent Susan. Although that blissful cloud nine they were living on was brought back to reality around the time Jack had turned two.

While shopping in the neighborhood market, Jack had wandered off to another aisle. Where Marie found him talking to a man. Too much in a panic to acknowledge the guy, she immediately went for her son. “Your boy looks just like mine,” she heard the man say, which caused Marie to give a real look at the male’s face. Immediately recognizing him for the man who’d gotten her pregnant. Marie couldn’t have been more in shock, and there really was no playing it off as if Jack weren’t his. And to make matters worse, Susan came to join the two moments later, to come face to face with the man who’d fathered her child.

The news had affected the three in unexpected ways. Susan and Marie began to fight again over countless things. All of which involving Jack in some way or form. After much contemplation, the family moved to Ann Arbor. In some ways, it was also an attempt to save their relationship. Initially after the move, allowing Jack’s father some chances to meet with the boy, but eventually as time passed the visits slowed until they eventually ceased all together, just like Susan & Marie’s relationship. Susan was awarded full custody of Jack, being the more responsible parent, but he still spent time with both of his mothers along with their eventual partners.

As Jack grew older, he forgot all about Detroit and everything that came with the city. Including his father, who’d only been introduced to him as his mother’s friend. He’d seen how monogamy worked for Susan, and how it didn’t seem to work for Marie as she went through a laundry list of lovers. Slowly forming his own opinion of what love was and how a man should be.

By the time, Jack had graduated high school, he’d discovered multiple passions. Although the one consistent in his life always being his love for the sky and his desire to fly. Jack had wanted to get his pilot’s license, but at his mother’s insistence he went to college. Jack attended Syracuse University, and with the help of his advisor found a major in aerospace engineering. Loving the craft so much that he knew he had to have a career in it.

Upon graduating Jack moved back home to Ann Arbor to be close to his mothers. Also, what was there not to love about a college town. True to his word he began working on getting his pilot’s license, while performing contract jobs here and there. A routine had formed, and Jack went on partying and living his life. Until one day he received a letter from his past.

The letter was from Jack’s father, a man that had never really crossed Jack’s mind. And to know the guy even existed was a shock. In the letter, Jack learned about the man who he’d never even realized he’d known. As well as what was the most shocking news of all, which declared that Jack had a brother the same age as him. Unsure of what to do with this news, Jack put the letter in a book on one of his shelves intending on never thinking of it again.

It wasn’t long before he met the woman who’d capture his interest and become his girlfriend. He charmed her, eager to get to know her, and loving her more and more for each fact he learned. What made her even more interesting was how open-minded she was. Eventually the couple moved in together, it was during the move that Juniper found the letter and insisted that Jack find his brother. After a bit a prodding Jack finally agreed, stating he’d do so after he finished his pilot’s license.

True to his word, Jack started considering private investigators to find his brother. Wanting nothing short of the best though, he quickly realized he’d need more cash than his contract jobs could provide. So, Jack began searching for a new job, and found one in Hallow Grove. The company was based in Baton Rouge, but had a warehouse space in the small town for which they would hire Jack to work from. Only requiring him to come into the main office once a month. With Juniper on board the two packed up their belongings and moved. Hiring a PI a few months after getting settled in. After a year of living in Hallow Grove, they were finally getting news from the PI of Jack’s brother full name and how he also lived in Hallow Grove. You could imagine their suprise to learn the one person they were trying to find had been right under their nose the whole time.

Life in the small town was turning out to be perfect for Jack. He and his brother hit it off. Their relationship immediately fell into that of a brotherly nature without the awkwardness of being two grown men when they finally learned who the other truly was. Jack was quickly rising within the company. His input changing the way they did business and creating more profits. Then he had met Toni who he was certain was the third to his and Juniper’s relationship. And things had been going well at first. However, Juniper had been lying to Jack. She couldn’t handle having to share him and grew angry and resentful towards him. It caused so much turmoil that all three split. Leaving Jack all alone in a house too large for one person.

For a while Jack felt aimless. He considered leaving Hallow Grove a time or two. Spending more time at the Baton Rouge office, going back to his philandering ways, and doing just about anything to keep himself busy and away from the home that reminded him of all he’d lost. And yet being away never made it feel any better. In fact Jack felt worse away from Hallow than he did in it. The town had become home and he refused to let a broken heart dictate his life. So when a friend of his needed a bigger place to live for her and her son but couldn’t afford to buy her own house, Jack offered for her to come move in with him. The opportunity to change his life came he took it.

As it would turn out that change turned Jack’s life around in ways he never though possible. He learned he liked having a kid around. And Mira was the best friend he never even knew he needed. They understood him and they didn’t hinder his spirit. It amazed him that the people who got him the most came in the most unlikely of circumstances. The two have become so near and dear to his heart that he honestly doesn’t know what he would do without them. And Jack refuses to do anything to ruin the makeshift family he’s managed create. 

[hallowgrove]

All things Doutzen Saint James...

Age: 32 years old Occupation: Orthopedic Surgeon Birthdate: 13th of June 1986 Sexuality: Hetero-Demisexual Gender: Female Neighborhood: Province How long they’ve lived in Hallow Grove: August of 2004 Faceclaim: Kat Graham

History

Doutzen’s mother came from a proper Christian family. One that believed in marriage, structure, and rules. So, when Doutzen’s father came around, it was beyond clear that the family did not approve. Which only caused her mother to want him more. What she didn’t want, nor expect was the baby that came along with it. This inevitably had her mother’s family demanding they marry and settle down. Doutzen was only six when her mother finally split with the family’s neighbor who’d she’d been having an affair with.

Douzten’s father could immediately see that his daughter longed for her mother, but had no clue how to handle the loss. Especially since emotionally she had lost her mother before she was even born. He tried talking to her, but Doutzen wouldn’t give. It was six months later when it finally hit him on how to get through to his daughter. “Junebug, how’d you like to go dancing?” he asked her, and was immediately rewarded with a light in her eyes. Her father took her to her first dance lesson, and Doutzen took to dancing like a fish to water.

It was there she met her childhood friend, Ophelia. Doutzen had thought the girl strange, but she liked that she had the moxie to be herself. The two girls were inseparable. Doutzen spent plenty of time at Ophelia’s house. Which was great since Ophelia’s mother saw how much Doutzen needed a woman’s presence in her life and did the best she could to the fill the gap her own mother had left. She enjoyed having the company of another girl. It also helped for those things that Doutzen’s dad couldn’t relate to. Not to mention, the relationship brought out the inner child that Doutzen had locked away.

Time passed, and Doutzen began to grow into a beautiful young woman. Taking on responsibilities around the house and focusing on school and dance. The girl was wicked smart, and did well in high school. One day Doutzen had been at Ophelia’s house studying, as she usually did, when she got the news that her father had been injured while working. She’d been lucky enough to have the chance to make it to the hospital in time to say goodbye to the man. His last words to her being, “Be like dust.” Something only the two would understand.

A few months later Doutzen’s college acceptance letters came in. She didn’t know how to feel. She didn’t know where to go. She was about as clueless and as heartbroken as one could imagine. Doutzen had no clue how to make a decision that would effect her life forever when all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry. So she did the only thing she knew would make her happy, she danced her way to an answer. One that lead her to Toulouse University in Hallow Grove. The school had been one her father had suggested she apply to. Having always wanted to take his daughter back to New Orleans, and show her where he grew up. It was close enough to the city that she could spend time there and experience the culture, but wouldn’t be tempted to lose focus from her studies. Not to mention the school covered her tuition in its entirety.

The girl packed up what remained of her life, and moved down south to the small town. It wasn’t long before she received her bachelor’s degree. Although upon finishing, she found that she had no desire to leave the small town, as it had become her home. Doutzen reenrolled in Toulouse to study medicine, in hopes of getting all the things her father wished she’d had but could never get her. Although now without a full scholarship to help her, Doutzen spent her time stripping off her clothes and dancing on stage by the name of Honey to pay for school. She was never ashamed. In fact, in some ways she was a bit proud of her time as a dancer. However, she was in no way boastful about it. She just knew that not everything in life is sunshine and rainbows and some things require a bit of dirty work.

Oddly enough it was stripping which lead her to the man that would change her life entirely. After losing Ophelia and her father, both in different ways, Doutzen hadn’t wanted to get close to anyone again. Not truly close at least. Yet Nevada had snuck his way into her life and eventually her heart. Before she even knew what was going on she was head over hills in love with the man. He understood her in ways no one else had and for that she was forever grateful and what allowed her to open herself up to the idea of having a family again.

During her residency at the hospital, Doutzen became pregnant. Though a surprise to her and Nevada both it was a welcomed one. Doutzen powered through the remainder of her residency before giving birth and taking her maternity leave. It was during that time the couple had decided that Nevada would stay home with their daughter while Doutzen returned back to the hospital. The two didn’t want to kill either’s dreams when it came to raising their family and that seemed like the best compromise. Especially since Nevada could compose anywhere while being an orthopedic surgeon required more hours in a hospital than at home.

Motherhood surprised Doutzen. She never thought she’d be any good at it, but every day she learns she’s more and more capable of handling it. Which was probably why she and Nevada agreed to try again so that Clover could have a sibling. Though it took more time the second time around. Doutzen even having a miscarriage at one point, but the two have remained strong and are proud to say they have a new little one well on the way. Doutzen isn’t sure what else the future might hold for her, but if there is one thing she learned is that it will get better.

[hallowgrove]

All things Neslyn Beinte...

Age: 31 years old Occupation: Veterinarian Birthdate: 13th of May 1987 Sexuality: Bisexual Gender: Female Neighborhood: Province How long they’ve lived in Hallow Grove: April of 2016 Faceclaim: Teresa Palmer

History

Neslyn had the typical American family, the genes that ran through their blood came down from a long line of magnanimous relatives. Nes seemed to set back from it all. Quiet and remained to herself, unlike the others, who were more opinionated, and straightforward. Growing up wasn’t always easy, but it got a little more relaxed alongside two of her cousins. When it came to summers in Riverside, Iowa, they always found themselves out wandering in the back woods, searching for geodes or Morel Mushrooms. They were a mischievous bunch, pranking each other’s parents, fooling one another in the act. The threesome couldn’t be separated; they were her best friends after all.

Though the child still felt left out among them, Neslyn was the only child in her household; it came a time where she had begged her parents for another sibling. Beyond the nagging, her wish didn’t come true. As the years continued growing up in the small town and finally breaking away from grade school. She heard the most devastating news; her father had gotten offered a better job, out in New York. Nes knew this would be a big change for her. From a small Iowa town to a packed NYC suburb. It was heartbreaking altogether, saying goodbye to her hometown and all of her family. So at the age of thirteen, Neslyn moved on to something bigger.

New York was everything she had expected – Cramped, selfish and dirty. All the things Neslyn disliked. Streets, sidewalks were crowded to an extent. Buildings covered the sky; lights blocked out the night stars; making it unable to place any. Only as a young middle school student soon entering high school, she learned to adjust, though she still missed Iowa and along with her cousins. It would only be once in a while; they would venture back home for a family gathering. Much didn’t change from when she was a child. Antisocial and shy, keeping to herself. How she planned on surviving high school was questionable, but some consequences followed. There came times walking through the halls; books slapped out of her hands, shoved into lockers. Hair pulled, named called, and harassed beyond normal. Neslyn fell into a state of depression and anxiety. Even after confronting teachers, nothing seemed to put a stop to the bullying as the hate progressed so did her state of mind.

Inflicting pain onto herself felt like the only relief the blonde could get, whether it was the sharp edge of a razor blade, repeated snapping of a rubber band against her skin. The habit that became one of her worst, and when this pattern reached out of her control. Neslyn found herself on the brink of suicide, but as she dreaded on, dying wasn’t something she could fathom. After letting her parents know of her sickness, they sent her into therapy to try to get help. She found herself getting better and within her last year of high school ending, she had to worry no more about others harassing her. During the time of recovery, she found herself visiting the local zoo. There she studied the animals and fell in love with each and every one; this is where her profound love for all animals came to be. In which, she knew what she wanted to be a Veterinarian.

After graduating high school, she majored in Zoology and Veterinary Medicine while attending NYU. College life was different but still had the same setbacks. Neslyn kept to herself, spending most of studying days in the dorm room. Never once had she even attended a college house party. When she thought the relentless bullying was over, she went through a complication with her dorm mate; Nes found a room to herself. Four years flew by quickly, and with a degree under her belt. There were various options to choose from but none that seemed to stick out.

Not too long after, Neslyn got sick of New York. She contemplated about moving back to Iowa, but there weren’t many local Zoos. Los Angeles became her new destination, knowing that one of her cousins was living there. Neslyn was only twenty-five when she moved across the country. She was plagued with questions of would things be better looking up there? But she took the chance anyway. It hadn’t taken her long to find herself a place to stay, and finally even a dream job. Luckily, her cousin opened up her home for the female to stay which allowed the two to be happily reunited with once again. The Los Angeles Zoo was huge, and the wide variety of animals held a big opportunity for her.

Within a year the brunette made an abundance of friends as well as lost some as well. The following year, she gained her first love – but when a big decision got in the road of their relationship the two split. During the few months that had followed their split, Neslyn seemed lost. LA had become a place where she was no longer happy, so she had packed up and moved back to New York. Luckily her parents still owned a home there; they were more than grateful to let her stay until she figured out otherwise. The time home didn’t last long though due to an unexpected occurrence. Riddled with regret the blonde packed her things and left.

If you had asked Neslyn why of all places she had picked Hallow Grove, there would be no correct answer. The blonde was unsure what drew her to the town. Perhaps it reminded her a little of back home. Perhaps it was something else entirely. Either way she could tell the town had been the right choice for het. And yet, there seemed to be something missing in it all. Having been there for well over two years now, she’d managed to befriend the best of people and obtain a job at the local veterinary office. She loved her job, even more, the veterinary got a fantastic business. Working alongside animals was always her dream and Nes was happy to be living it, but it somehow wasn’t enough. It wasn’t hard to admit, but only ever being in a relationship once and knowing how the outcome of that turned out. The blonde was terrified to let herself open up to anyone else, afraid it would happen all over again. She’s determined to get over the fear, and give herself love, hope, a family, a home, more than her life of solitude.

[hallowgrove]

All things Nevada Saunders...

Age: 38 years old Occupation: Private Tutor & Composer Birthdate: 1st of September 1980 Sexuality: Pansexual Gender: Male Neighborhood: Bayonne How long they’ve lived in Hallow Grove: December of 2011 Faceclaim: Boyd Holbrook

History

Nevada Saunders was not born in the state of Nevada, nor had he ever been there. Instead, he was brought in on a cold, bitter winter night in Detroit, Michigan. It was his parents who had been to Sin City, where they first met, just like any other stereotypical love story. His mother’s romance was like any other: two college students on a Winter Break vacation who fell in love at first sight. That is when Nevada came into the picture, as the couple married young just months before the birth of their son. Everything seemed happy-go-lucky; in fact, Nevada’s father was his best friend growing up. They scavenged during camping, hiking, and fishing trips, and this was how the boy found his love for nature. It all seemed blissful until the kid turned eight when he found himself hiding in a corner watching his parents quarrel. Later, his father would show up late for dinner until that one night when he never came home again. After that day, Nevada never heard from his dad again, not even on birthdays or holidays. His whereabouts were completely unknown.

Once the divorce was final, Nevada and his mom shipped off to California, leaving their home and memories behind. Los Angeles became a new awakening for the single mother. It was a perfect place to settle and start over again with family just a few hours up north. For months, his mom was a mess. She even stopped calling him Nevada but instead called him Nev, and ever since, the nickname stuck. The single mother spent most of her time working several jobs to keep up with all the bills. Summer was over by the time they became comfortable with the city, and school was starting up again. Enrolling the boy in a private school was costlier, but better for his education. With the last few months of school he spent back in Michigan, Nevada was close to getting kicked out after many backlashes and refusals to do homework. She wanted the best for her son, even if it meant an extra expense.

When high school rolled around, Nevada entered public school after private schooling became too expensive for his mom. The boy did great for the first three years, having an average GPA and focusing on his career in music. Learning to play the guitar was a hobby in which he found comfort. His senior year, everything came crashing down. Out of nowhere, Nev’s father started showing up after school, sitting across the street. It was weeks before the stranger finally approached the teen, this left Nev outraged and wondered how exactly his father had found him and why he had appeared suddenly. The intrusion left Nevada stressed and distracted, and slowly, he started to fall behind in his classes; soon enough was threatened with being kept behind if he didn’t step up. Within a few short months before graduation, he dropped out and promised his mom he would work his way toward earning his GED. As the weeks went by, Nevada never told his mom of the reappearance of his father, worried that she would fall back into her emotional state just as she had started dating again. Not long before his father noticed Nev’s absence from school, he showed up at their front door one day. Infuriated, Nev lashed out, telling the man to disappear from his life and never come back.

Three years later, after balancing several jobs and studying, Nevada earned his GED. Better yet, his mother found love and remarried, moving up north to San Francisco. Nev figured he was better off in LA after feeling he didn’t quite belong with his stepdad and stepsister. Throughout the years, he worked different jobs but finally came to settle at a small cafe and pie shop as well as walking dogs for a nearby animal shelter. At the age of 26, Nevada needed more friends and, on a whim, joined a social website. That was where he met someone dear to him almost two years after joining, but nearly half a year later, things didn’t work out on his part. Along with the split, his mother suffered a miscarriage, making things for him even more stressful. Hours away in Los Angeles, Nevada worried for his mother’s health. Months later, after selling some of his belongings and packing, he moved up to San Francisco.

While there, he put it upon himself to start considering the future after so much time worrying about the welfare of others and not himself. Nevada decided he needed something eye-opening, and that something was called the PCT. After delivering newspapers and walking dogs for the local neighborhood as well as helping his grandmother with housework, Nev had saved up enough to buy all the equipment and necessities for the trip. The trip would take up the whole duration of his summer, exactly 2,659 miles of hiking through deserts, mountains, rough terrains, and unbeatable weather. Starting from the border of Mexico and just beyond the border of Canada. After one hundred and thirty-eight days of rediscovering himself, Nev flew back to LA. During his trip, Nevada received from his mom a letter claiming that his birth father had grown ill. Along with the note was one from his dad, as well as a check for all the years he hadn’t paid child support. The one request his father had was for Nev to visit him, which Nev refused. Just a few days before Nev finished his hike, his dad passed away. Guilt-ridden, Nevada felt it wasn’t right to spend the check, so he stuffed it in the back of his wallet to forget about it.

When he arrived back to LA, Nev had enough money saved over the years to find a better apartment than the last. He also picked back up his jobs at the Pie Hole and the animal shelter, but another thing Nev took upon himself was to go to college to become a music teacher. Four years later, the boy graduated with a degree in Music Education and had composed a handful of pieces that became popular, even used in movies and television shows. This added a good pocket of money for him to save up for traveling. Nevada still battles with his depression, and no matter how much he tried couldn’t find happiness in Los Angeles. It was a big move deciding to pack up and move to Hallow Grove, where he had no family or friends. Living in a city where he could embrace what he loved most music and the outdoors. It was an adventure waiting for him.

Hallow Grove wasn’t far from New Orleans, and that held a big draw in moving to the small town for Nev. It created an environment where he could be surrounded by nature and yet not far from the city which he knew was popular for its music and food. When he first moved to the town he found a job working at a public school with younger kids, and teaching them many things about music and instruments. While on the side, he gave lessons to kids around the neighborhood while still composing new music.

Several years of living in the small town and his life improved dramatically in ways he never thought possible. He found the brother he never knew he had before, and created an inseparable bond with him. One the two weren’t even sure was possible considering how long in life they had gone without each other and the messiness of their parentage. Not only that but he found love with the most beautiful woman. Who bore his first child, Clover. Never did Nevada think two women could have such a strong hold on his heart.

With a second child on the way, Nevada has become accustomed to being a stay at home dad. Composing when he has the time, or creating little jingles for local businesses. Giving private music lessons for those who request them in town. But mostly his focus is at home in the large yellow Victorian house they live in just on the outskirts of the Bayou. Nevada has been truly happy for once in his life, and he couldn’t ask for anything more. The small happy family that he would give everything for.