#wnc.intro

[chekhovanoff]

It’s a cappuccino! Not a cup of chino. Fucking animals.

biography | pinterest | spotify | musings | connections

NAME: cyrus edward pascal NICKNAME(S): cy LABEL: the playwright AGE/BIRTHDAY: 30/august 16 BIRTHPLACE: new orleans, la NEIGHBORHOOD: south hills GENDER IDENTITY: cis male, he/him SEXUALITY: pansexual (homosexual in practice) ETHNICITY: french canadian/cajun FACE CLAIM: richard harmon

tldr ; Cyrus is a trust fund baby masquerading as a starving artist. He left his cushy New Orleans life to pursue his one and only dream: to write plays. To leave a mark on the world. To mix and mingle with real artists. He’s putting in his hours as a barista extraordinaire and half-writing a dozen plays, at the moment… and on the really cold days, sure! Maybe he’ll swipe Mommy’s card at a swanky hotel in town. A man’s got needs!

[alcrayildiz]

J E S S E G R A V E S

in character

Name: Jesse Graves

Faceclaim: Sean Teale

Gender & Pronouns: Cismale & he/him

Age: 34

Birthday: February 23, 1990

Occupation: High school principal @ Chester high

Neighborhood: midtown

Sexuality: Bisexual

biography

The only thing Jesse's ever wanted in life was to prove to his parents that he was worth something. Being the youngest of two, his brother being what they thought was the best thing since slice bread, pretty much left him in the dark when it came to his parents' attention. That never stopped him though and despite his brother being everything that he wasn't, he still did what he could to do things that he thought might be comparable to the fact that his brother was a track star and a brainiac and well mannered. Everyone loved him and all jesse wanted was an ounce of attention and for his parents to tell him that they were proud of him.

So, when he made it through high school with A's and B's, he thought maybe that would be enough. He thought the fact that he was a part of student council would be enough. He thought that the fact that he played soccer would capture their attention. But during the time that Jesse was in high school, his brother was getting accepted into medical school and so anything outside of that seemed irrelevant to his parents.

Getting accepted into college was no different. It wasn't an ivy league school and so his parents didn't give his acceptance letter more than one look but that didn't mean he didn't do whatever it took to get his degree in education. It wasn't what they expected from him but at the end of the day, he wanted to do something that would ultimately make him happy, especially if it was something that he was going to be doing for the rest of his life.

He got hired at chester high school the moment he got his bachelor's degree without so much of a text from his family but in the back of his head, he knew that he still needed to do something, just one thing to make his parents proud and that's how he ended up doing anything he could to land the role of chester high's youngest principal, which he did at the age of twenty seven and definitely not in a traditional manner. He managed to use his charm on the head of the school distrct and landed himself in their bed a couple of times. That's what it took to hear those words come out of his parents' mouths. They finally told him that he was proud of him.

His role as the principal as chester high wasn't just about making his parents proud but also making a difference and so, he spent the majority of his time doing just that.

[pearcecallahan]

→ INTRODUCING PEARCE CALLAHAN

in character

Name: Pearce Callahan

Faceclaim: Ben Barnes

Gender & Pronouns: Cismale & He/Him

Age: 40

Birthday: March 3, 1984

Occupation: Psychologist

Neighborhood: Wrightsville Beach

Sexuality: Heterosexual

biography

Pearce Callahan was born March 3, 1984 to Caroline and William Callahan in London, England. Being the first of the Callahan children, he was their absolute pride and joy. It wasn’t until he was five when his parents decided to start to add to their family and eventually, he ended up with two brothers and two sisters, all of which is he more than protective of and he even stepped in as somewhat of a third parent and it wasn’t as though his parents were bad parents or neglectful but it was just that taking care of five children was a lot for a stay at home mother. He never minded helping anyways.

Growing up as the oldest of five siblings, Pearce knew that there was always going to be that expectation that whatever he did with his life, he was going to have to do something that would encourage the rest of his siblings to do the same thing. He’d been so sure he was going to be a writer, having enjoyed it quite a bit and even being pretty good at it, but after taking a psychology class as an elective course, he knew that he was destined to help people with their trauma and whatever else they wanted to work through. So, his major quickly shifted from creative writing to Psychology.

And that’s where he met he met his first wife, Veronica. She was everything to him and it was love at first sight. He knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and that’s why he ended up proposing before he even finished his masters degree. The two lived in a small apartment, him working as a psychologist and Veronica working as a nanny. His clientele built up slowly but surely. Apparently not fast enough for Veronica and she decided to sleep with one of the single dads she was being a nanny for. A man who had more money than he did but one he was sure didn’t love her the way that he did. Still, the money was what mattered to her at the end of the day and not the feelings that Pearce had for her.

So, despite everything that he would be leaving behind, he found that it was best to move to the states and that’s how he landed himself in Wilmington at the age of thirty. He started out practicing under someone else but eventually, after building his clients up, he opened his own office in wrightsville beach not too far from where he lives.

Pearce managed to find some friends to surround himself with the moment he found himself in town and that was the encouragement he needed to confirm that he’d fully made the right choice by leaving everything he’d ever known behind.

random facts

he can play the piano

he's huge on selfcare and has a skincare routine, and also takes regular bubble baths

still does a little bit of writing but nothing publishable

big fan of boba tea

[neofairmont]

gifs credited to @sebegifs

Name: Neo Fairmont

Faceclaim: Regé-Jean Page

Gender & Pronouns: CIS man & he/him

Age: 39

Birthday: August, 20th, 1985

Occupation: Painter and Acting CEO at Fairmont Hotel Group

Neighborhood: Carriage Falls

Does your character have a secret? No

Biography

Neo Caius Fairmont wasn't supposed to be born, but fate had other plans. His mom Adriana, a historian with a deep love for Greek culture, was already blessed with a daughter, Callista. Unfortunately, she had poor health and was battling a rare form of leukemia. Neo was born to save his sister. His cord blood had the stem cells she needed. His parents came from differing backgrounds. Adriana, was an African American Historian who challenged conventional thinking, and Darius was a Caucasian CEO of the prestigious Fairmont hotel group, Neo grew up in a world of privilege. His mom named him after the Greek word for "new," perhaps sensing that her son would forge his own path in life.

Despite the golden spoon in his mouth and his dad’s expectations to follow in his footsteps, he was drawn to a different calling. While other kids from wealthy families were learning about profit margins and market strategies, Neo was often stuck in his private art studio, clothes splattered with paint—creating worlds on canvas that existed only in his imagination. His talent was undeniable. During his high school years, his art teachers couldn't help but notice how he managed to infuse his heritage into his pieces. When it came time for college, he chose to attend École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, much to his dad's disappointment. Paris became more than just a place of education to the young artist—it became his sanctuary. After graduation, he stayed in the City of Light, where his art caught the attention of galleries and collectors. It was during a group exhibition that he met Blair Anderson, another American artist trying to make it in Europe. Their romance seemed like something out of a movie, but his parents saw what he couldn't—or wouldn't—see. There were a ton of red flags in Blair's behavior they didn’t like; her unpredictability, her manipulative tendencies.

Still, at 35, Neo followed his heart and married Blair. Their son, Marcel, came along soon after in 2020, but parenthood revealed the cracks in their relationship. Blair took off when Marcel was just a baby, leaving Neo to be a single dad. He had to completely change his life to take care of his son. He took to fatherhood quickly, and since then, he poured all his time in raising Marcel and his art. Life threw another curveball in the summer of 2023 when his sister Callista, who had taken over as CEO of Fairmont hotel group after their dad’s retirement, had to step down due to health complications. The choice was clear but difficult. He could either step up to lead the company, or the family would have to sell. Despite his aversion to the corporate world, Neo couldn't bear the thought of being responsible for so many job losses. He agreed to take the position, but his dad, ever the businessman, insisted he learn the ropes from the ground up. That's how Neo found himself crossing paths with Samira Iyer, the company's external affairs manager.

tl;dr

Neo Caius Fairmont was born to save his sister Callista through cord blood stem cells. He grew up privileged as the son of an African American historian mother—Adriana—and Caucasian hotel CEO father—Darius. Despite family expectations to join the hotel business, he pursued art, studying in Paris where he met and married a fellow artist Blair Anderson. After Blair abandoned him and their son Marcel in 2020, Neo became a single father focused on parenting and art. In the summer of 2023, when Callista stepped down as CEO of Fairmont hotels due to health issues, Neo reluctantly took over the company to prevent mass layoffs, leading him to meet and work with Samira Iyer.

Wanted Connection

Coworker: The Fairmont's External Affairs Manager makes Neo's head spin with her sunny disposition. He thought she'd be just another suit, but turns out she's exactly what he needs to stop falling flat on his face in board meetings.

Best Friend:

Friends:

Neighbors:

Nanny: Since he works a lot, he would need someone to take care of Marcel.

Rival: This could be an artist or someone he went to school with.

Rock climbing buddies:

[cleothomas]

↳ INTRODUCING CLEO THOMAS

in character

Name: Cleo Thomas

Faceclaim: Dewanda Wise

Gender & Pronouns: Cisfemale & She/Her

Age: 40

Birthday: March 13th, 1984

Occupation: RN @ Mercy General

Neighborhood: Masonboro

biography

TW: abuse, child loss, pregnancy

Cleo, from the very beginning, was always sweet. She was born with the biggest heart, always wanting to help people and always wanting to be friends with people who she came in contact with. She definitely never met a stranger, that was for sure. She did what she could to make anyone and everyone feel included all throughout school, which landed her on top of the social hierarchy despite her financial status or whatever else.

Cleo was convinced that she was destined for greatness once she got to her senior year of high school. There was nothing about her life that convinced her otherwise. After all, she was graduating high school with an amazing group of friends, top notch grades, and a family who supported her through anything and everything. Her plan after high school was simple. She was going to get her RN and help people the way that she enjoyed doing. She was accepted into nursing school at the University of California, which wasn't far from where she grew up and so, despite her wanting the full college student experience, she really liked that she wasn't far from home.

Nursing school was proven to be difficult, but she did whatever she could to maintain her high grades as she did in high school. That included extended study sessions in the school library. Clinicals really got to her but that's where she met Bruno. He was in the hospital while she was doing rounds, having gotten shot during his line of duty. Luckily, the injury was minimal, but they'd kept him overnight to keep an eye on him. His injury certainly didn't bother him and he was persistent as far as asking Cleo out. She refused due to the fact that she was afraid that it may get her into some trouble. Once clinicals were over for the night and he was discharged, he approached her once more about taking her out and managed to talk Cleo into it.

The two of them got married relatively quickly. Cleo assumed that she had met the best person in the world. Bruno was sweet and caring and protective and he did everything he could to make her happy. At least, at first anyways. It wasn't long that Bruno turned abusive. He didn't like how independent she was once she got her first nursing career. He didn't like how friendly she was to everyone, males especially. If she didn't show up on time, she paid for it when she got home. Due to the fact that he was a cop, he wasn't stupid. He always put the bruises in places where they weren't seen and told her that no one would help her due to place in the police department. So, cleo ultimately felt stuck.

Cleo did manage to get pregnant at the age of 38. For one, she was surprised because of her age. Two, she assumed the abuse and stress of her relationship would prevent her from conceiving. Despite the hatred that she managed to develop for her husband, she couldn't be more excited about having a baby of her own and she vowed to do whatever she could to take care of them. At least, that's what she wanted to believe. Things had gone okay until she was 24 weeks and she'd managed to upset her husband, which resulted in him pushing her down the stairs. That ordeal landed her in the hospital with a broken arm and a broken heart. She managed to lose the baby.

That's what pushed her to leave him. One day, when he was at work and she was technically scheduled to work, she backed up all of her things and took a bus out of there. She wasn't completely stupid. She'd kept her own savings account and so, once she managed to get so far, she bought a car that could help her continue her escape.

Eventually, she landed herself in Wilmington, which was pretty much on the complete opposite side of the country. She...felt safe. She managed to change her last name to her mother's maiden name to throw him off further, bought a house in Masonboro, and managed to score a job as a charge nurse at Mercy hospital.

She's not the same woman she used to be. She's closed off, private, quiet. She's timid. Cleo's damaged. She misses who she used to be and so, all she can do now is seek out the help she so desperately needs to move on.

[tahiryxduval]

Name: Tahiry Duval

Faceclaim: Zoe Saldana

Gender & Pronouns: cis female & she/her

Age: 45

Birthday: September 3rd, 1979

Height: 5'7

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Occupation: Senior Investigative Reporter for the Wilmington Star-News

Neighborhood: Masonboro

short facts

Half American and half Dominican. Born in Santo Domingo to a Dominican literature professor mother and U.S. military officer father.

Her mom was a brainiac who didn't like the military, while her dad was all about order and served in the army.

Worked as a foreign reporter for Reuters, using her experience with different cultures to cover stories.

She blew the whistle on a military operation in Myanmar that killed civilians. Her Fort Hood buddies were kicked out, and she was no longer welcome in the military crowd.

Works as senior investigative reporter for the Wilmington Star-News, but she also speaks to veterans about PTSD.

Has been in Wilmington since summer 2023.

biography

Tahiry Duval's life began in Santo Domingo on September 3rd, 1979, where two worlds collided in the best possible way. Her mother, a passionate Dominican literature professor, fell in love with her father, a U.S. military officer stationed at the American Embassy. From day one, her life would be shaped by these dual identities. Her childhood was a beautiful clash of cultures. While her mother's large Dominican family filled their home with rapid Spanish conversations and the rich aroma of her grandmother's sancocho, her father's military career brought structure and discipline. At age 8, her father's transfer kicked off years of movement - from the intense Texas heat at Fort Hood to the rolling hills of Germany, and back to American soil again. Her mother, though deeply in love, never quite found her footing in the constant relocations of military life. She rejected the status quo and built her own world, creating libraries in every house and teaching Tahiry that questioning authority was not only permissible, but necessary. Her father, meanwhile, carried his own burdens. As a loyal serviceman, he wrestled with increasing doubts after a contentious operation in Central America, but rarely voiced these concerns. Similar to other military kids, Tahiry formed bonds with others in DoD schools. At Fort Hood, she bonded with three classmates, including Anthony - her first boyfriend and, unknowingly, a key player in her future. Her career as a Reuters foreign correspondent seemed almost inevitable - someone who'd spent their life bridging cultures and understanding different perspectives. She’d made a name for herself, covering everything from local politics to international conflicts, earning respect for her unflinching reporting. Then came Myanmar. The assignment that would change everything. There, in a cruel twist of fate, she encountered those same three friends from Fort Hood, including Marcus, now leading a classified operation. What unfolded - a military operation that resulted in civilian casualties - became her defining moment as a journalist. As the only reporter who understood both English and the local language, she bore witness to the full scope of the tragedy. Her report made international headlines and led to her former classmates' dishonorable discharges. The personal cost was immense, but the truth demanded to be told. She earned her place as one of Reuters' most respected conflict journalists, splitting her time between field reporting and teaching conflict journalism at Columbia University. Her relationship with her father changed since that day. He understood why her story about Myanmar was significant, but the military community's shift in perspective has left its mark on their relationship. Together, they've found their way forward through a shared commitment to truth, no matter the cost. After the Myanmar story broke, Tahiry needed a fresh start away from the scrutiny of major media hubs. She chose Wilmington, North Carolina. She started freelancing for local papers and eventually landed a position as the senior investigative reporter for the Wilmington Star-News. Between assignments, she speaks at veteran PTSD groups.

[nikalawson]

CHARACTER INTRO:

NAME: Nika Jane Lawson

AGE: 31

GENDER/PRONOUNS: Female. She/her.

SEXUALITY/STATUS: Pansexual | Single.

OCCUPATION: Detective

BIRTHDAY: March 3rd, 1993

HOMETOWN: Wilmington, North Carolina

NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown

FACECLAIM: Lauren Lavera

PINTEREST | BIOGRAPHY

BACKGROUND:

TW: ABUSE, DEATH, ADOPTION.

If asked about her parents, she'd tell you she was a product of entrapment. Her mother 27 at the time, set her eyes on an up and coming military man, 19, fell in love, got pregnant, and married. The marriage only lasted 3 years.

For the first 10 years of Nika's life, she was mainly in her mother's custody as her father was over seas serving. Her mother would not be her protective and would allow a variety of different things to happen to her as a young age.

One day Nika would tell her teacher, and this would result in her being taken from her parents custody. Her father, who only found out then, as well, had been livid.

For the next year, while her dad finished up his time in the military, Nika would find herself staying with her cousins and uncle.

Once her father retired, she would go home to live with him. Despite how much time they spent apart because of his career, she still loved him and didn't blame him for anything her mom did.

At 16, her dad would meet and marry a woman by the nice of Grace. They would proceed to go on and have two kids together, a set of twins they'd name Ezra and Iris. Along with her half siblings came a step brother from Grace's previous marriage; Miles.

When she graduated high school, she immediately knew she wanted to go into law, to serve and to protect. And that's what she would do. She would become a machine that raise through the ranks, becoming a well respected detective.

At 29, she'd come to meet a woman who would change her life in ways she never thought. A victim who was going through a hard time, hanging with the wrong group, sold to do the wrong things. Nika would try her best to get her out safe, and when this woman fell pregnant with her son, Zander, she thought that would be the pushing force.

Unfortunately, a month after the baby was born, Abby, would be found brutally murdered. Chipping something away at Nika as she considered this woman a friend, family -- she had been working on solving this case, and would make the decision to proceed with adoption of a now 10 month old Zander.

SOME HEADCANONS:

Has had her spectrum, tongue, belly pierced. Has a set of ear piercings in both ears.

Has a few tattoos.

Is a gym rat, also a professional fighter.

Sleeps with a gun and knife under her pillow.

Super good with kids. Her teenage siblings are some of her favorite people, super good with babies.

Super close to her father and family.

Has a husky named Kaze.

Has worked with the FBI and has specialized in undercover work through out her career.

Addicted to coffee and sushi.

Enjoys whiskey, drinks it straight like a champ. Coke and jack a favorite.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

FRIENDS: She is sociable, and would make these easy.

ENEMIES/I DON’T REALLY LIKE YOU: Not everyone likes everyone.

COWORKERS: Cops, detectives, FBI, former law enforcement, lawyers, etc.

VICTIMS/PEOPLE SHES HELPED: Anyone who has ever had issues with another person, fearing for their safety, open cases, cold cases, new cases, etc.

PAST RELATIONSHIPS: I'm honestly open here. I don't really have anything in particular, so we can discuss.

HOOK UPS/PAST: Self explanatory.

FAMILY/FAMILY FRIENDS: She has ties to the Lawson family as well as the Bellingham family.

TRULY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, FOR REAL. I JUST WANNA LOVE ON Y’ALL AND BE LOVED. OK THANK YOU

[matthewxturner]

→ INTRODUCING MATTHEW TURNER

in character

Name: Matthew Turner

Faceclaim: Scott Speedman

Gender & Pronouns: Cismale & He/Him

Age: 45

Birthday: December 27, 1979

Occupation: Owner of Pet Avenue

Neighborhood: Masonboro.

Does your character have a secret? He attempted to commit suicide after his accident and was institutionalized until they felt as though he were mentally well.

Would you be willing to have this secret used against them at some point in the future? Yes

biography

TW: school shooting, suicide

Matthew Turner was born to Sarah & Michael Turner in Duluth, Minnesota as the oldest brother of 2, having a younger sister born a couple of years after him, one he was extremely protective of growing up due to the fact that he took his role as a big brother a little too seriously. That was the thing about Matthew though. Most things in life were serious to him and that included school, his relationships, and his friendships. With that being said, he made it through school being one of the five in the top of his class. While he'd aimed to be the top, there was always one or two people that managed to beat him to it but he didn't let that get him down. Instead, he took that determination with him to college, where he joined his best friend Atlas at the University of St. Thomas.

Matthew majored in history and managed to get his master's degree in the subject, which led him to teach classes at the same University he graduated from. This was seemingly the job of his dreams. He was able to teach people about things he was severely interested in and he seemed to be good at what he did. This very university is where he met his future wife. She was older than the rest of the students and she'd decided on finally getting her degree. Her drive is what made Matthew fall in love with her and the two managed to get both engaged and married within a year, where the two of them bought a house and attempted to start a family. Due to infertility issues, they were unable to do ever have kids.

He got to bond with his kids at school, despite them being older. They all meant a lot to him though and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for them. That included protecting them and he didn't hesitate to do so on that god forsaken day. One Thursday in October, a student decided to bring a gun to school and shoot innocent students. In an attempt to stop him, Matthew fought with him for the gun and the trigger was pulled next to his ear and that ultimately caused him to go deaf in that ear. Despite the ringing in his ear, he managed to get the gun away from them before anything else could happen and the kid was taken to jail. Despite the problem being solved, he still felt as though he didn't do enough due to the fact that so many students had managed to die.

His inability to cope with both his recent disability and what had happened resulted in an attempted suicide attempt. Matthew trapped himself in the bathroom and drew himself a bath after taking a bunch of his antidepressants all at once. Antidepressants that were supposed to help him get through everything and that a psychiatrist had put him on. His wife managed to get in before it was too late and she called an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital and his stomach was pumped before he was forced into a mental institution, where he was kept until he was well enough to leave.

Once he got home, his wife had packed up and left divorce papers on the counter of their shared home. She couldn't handle being with him after everything that he'd been through and in return, filed for divorce. Devastated, he decided to pack up and moved across the country where he'd move in with his best friend and his most recently acquired service animal, which was a golden retriever named Dolly.

After he got settled into wilmington, he bought a local pet store from a couple that was ready to retire and made it his own. Pet avenue was a place that he felt comfortable bringing his service dog and somewhere that wouldn't trigger the memories of what he went through in Minnesota.