[cis male and he/him] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [TYLER MERCER]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [RICHARD HARMON]. You must be the [THIRTY-TWO] year old [KEEPER AT AQUATICA AQUARIUM]. Word is you’re [CHARISMATIC] but can also be a bit [STUBBORN] and your favorite song is [ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID BY T.A.T.U.]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS]. I’m sure you’ll love it! @aurorabayaesthetic
Tw: fertility, teen pregnancy, bullying, depression
Family
adopted father: Andrew Mercer (NPC)
adopted mother: Katie Mercer (NPC)
Connections
Best friend(s)
co-workers: Amara Davies
drinking/shenanigans buddies: Bellamy Calvert
Tyler Mercer was an unplanned pregnancy to a teen mom in Aurora Bay, California. His birth mother gave him up for adoption to the Mercer Family. Andrew and Katie Mercer had struggled for years with fertility and had been on a waitlist to adopt when they received the call that would change their lives. From the moment they brought Tyler home, they loved him as their own and made sure he never doubted that he was wanted.
Growing up in Aurora Bay, Tyler had a fairly normal childhood. Andrew owned a small fishing business, while Katie worked at the local elementary school. Summers were spent on the water, learning how to tie knots, bait hooks, and navigate the coastline. He was an energetic kid up to middle school when the rumor came out that Tyler was adopted, which was true. Then the bullying happened. He was talked down to and told that his birth mother hadn't wanted him, and that he didn't belong. All of the bullying in school caused Tyler to develop depression even though he knew his adopted parents loved him.
By the time he reached high school, Tyler had developed a thick skin. The kids that bullied him in middle school eventually stopped, either because they matured or because Tyler stopped giving them the reaction they were looking for. In some classes Tyler became the class clown or teacher’s pet laughing at inappropriate moments or surprisingly attentive.
After high school, Tyler went into biology, initially enrolling in a general science program before going toward marine biology. During college, Tyler took on a part-time job at Aquatic Aquarium, where he found himself surprisingly comfortable. He eventually moved into more hands-on work, helping with tank care, assisting in educational presentations, and learning how to handle certain marine species.
Forest held the paintball gun in his hands and inspected it for a moment before speaking to the person next to him. "I've never played Paintball before." He warned him. "Closest thing I've done is probably ... Fortnite."
He almost laughed. "Paintball is real and sometimes it hurts." Tyler said, "Fortnite is fictional. Very different than being hit with a paintball gun. You do realize that, don't you?" Watching the way Forest was holding the gun.
"Why wouldn't she survive in the wild?" Lorna asked, genuinely intrigued. "How would fish in the wild survive if they get injured then... or are you about to tell me they get eaten?"
"Yeah, I think brownie might be the winner." Valeria mused, eyeing the brownie bites in particular since that way she'd have more for later. "Honestly, I've never even really been a fan of cupcakes? Usually it's way too much frosting to the cake ratio and it just feels like a waste."
"I love brownies." He smiled looking at the brownies then back at Valeria. "That is true, but I am also really picky when it comes to cupcakes. Too much sugar also doesn't do well on the stomach."
"I mean.." she made a face "it was crass but" she shrugged a shoulder "realistically, you really could have done worse." There was always worse. Her class had gotten a teacher institutionalized, not their finest moments but the woman had bullied them so..the jocks had decided to bully her back. And boy, they had.... || @tylermercer
"Yeah, I could have. But I'm not a complete asshole." He half shrugged his shoulders. The guy got detention for stupid things back in the day, but he wasn't a jerk, just the fool. Also the same fool that was bullied in middle school.
Amara's grin is immediate with Tyler's words. Her rational marine biologist brain can't even fathom the idea of the two eels loving each other, but the humor isn't lost on her either. Of course she makes a face when he pushes the mug toward her, swatting the air playfully. "It's not too early to wear that coffee, Tyler," she teases. Not that Amara would ever actually do anything so... aggressive. Her head tilts as he continues, Amara's lips pursing. "Oh yeah we've had... a few of those cases, too. Just, you know..." She shrugs. "Personalities clash and... fish are fish." And invertebrates are invertebrates, arthropods are arthropods, etc. Her thoughts have drifted just slightly with his words, though. "You wish we had a fun work TikTok, don't you...?" She smirks.
@tylermercer
Tyler knew Amara's view on the aquarium and how her brain worked. Even though he had his share of marine studies, he still had a thought that eels could get along. They were unique and 'ugly' considered creatures but they were still animals. Immediately he had then finished his coffee at her comment of him wearing it. Then setting his mug aside. "Fish are fish." Not mocking her but just saying her same words out not in annoyance either. "Ew. No. I don't want my face on social media. That's too personal."
"I mean, it seems vague enough to maybe be true? As long as you're employed, you're gonna get money at some point. And as for family...doesn't have to mean blood? Like 90% of my family sucks, but I also have friends who I consider family? You got any of those?"
"Vague. I mean I have loving parents and family but like...I do have a few friends." Jesus, it sounded like happiness and a loser all at once for himself. Trying not to come out as that. "I'm sorry your family sucks..wow, that came out so bad." It sounded better in his head. His birth mother didn't even want him or try, lucky for adoption. "I think I've seen you around before..Priya? am I pronouncing that right?" That beautiful glowing skin was hard to miss.
"What makes you think that won't happen?" Jack asks, unsure if he believes it wouldn't come true for Tyler. Then again, he comes from a rather big family and money so one could say he's sort of biased.
"Tarots are usually scams and if I had both, it would have happened by now." That was truly what he believed. Tyler would just be an average guy not rich and single. Just living life as is.
"Past tense, I see," Izzy says, nodding knowingly as she looks down at the creature and tilts her head. "Are they usually like this, or is it just feeding time?" She was almost certain the creature wasn't lingering around just because it wanted to be pet.
Giving a slight shrug, Izzy was too smart for her own good. "Feeding time usually gets them riled up. Some are just extra happy." Not everyone liked the aquarium or sea creatures like Tyler but he was relaxed when it came to people that came through.
"That's hardly a horizon expansion." Bellamy retorted even as she got to work with getting his drink ready- especially as she noted the bills being slipped into the jar. Seconds later, she slid the ice-cold glass his way, snagging an extra slice of orange for herself to snack on "Maybe we should make you something fancy like a cosmo. Or a sex on the beach."
"Hardly?" Tyler tried, he tipped when he was able to since he had come by more often. Taking drink he took a casual sip from it's goodness. "Cosmo sounds too fancy but...you could give me sex on the beach sometime." Winking back at Bellamy. "Seriously though, I'm open to whatever you slide to me."
Jared rolled his eyes. "Get out, Mercer." He said, emphasising on every word. "Why are you here? I know I'm like your role model, or whatever, but seriously, this obsession you have with me has to stop."
Tyler grinned seeing that nothing really changed. "I thought you were my Uber driver." Jokingly, he had not ordered an Uber but to mess with Jared. "Role model, that's what you think?...wow you're hilarious. You sure you don't drive for Uber?"
Logan bit her lip as she looked up at the ferris wheel, teetering in and out of the line as she got closer to the front. She liked to believe she wasn't afraid of heights, and yet.... "What's um....what's the likelihood of one of these carts just...falling off and plummeting?" She asked the man nearest to her, trying (and failing) to not look nervous.
Tyler could have been mean and made a joke about one of the carts dropping and falling, crushing people to death. However she did actually look nervous. Then why was she in line for it? Deciding against it then. "You're more likely to crash and fall out of a rollercoaster than a ferris wheel." Was that any better? Probably not but still helpful. "Do you need a ferris wheel partner?"...
"So you...PG and District Approved had your butt handed to you" Mia chuckled. "Got it." Somehow, back in the day, detention seemed like this big harsh punishment to teachers. It was not. "If it helps, I don't think what you did was that bad. No doubt, you could have gone for the bone" || @tylermercer
Tyler chuckled at that like he had been slapped in the face. Maybe it wasn't the greatest of stories. "Not that bad. Asking my teacher how much time she had left...to live." Then nodding his head slowly. "I could have said worse, probably." @beautyxnthefire
Gabe glanced over at where they were doing reading and scrunched his face at the prediction. “ why didn’t have to be either or? Or do they just say that to everyone?” He replied feeling a bit like this might have been some sort of scam @tylermercer
"Sometimes I feel like it's a script they have to say." A small shrug, knowing damn well it was all a scam just to get money. "Obviously neither of those things are happening to me any time soon."
"I was told that I will suffer great pain, we'll see about that." She snorts. "At least a family or money aren't far off from true, if you whored around and started robbing banks."
"I think that one takes the cake of the worst tarot readings ever." It was one to scam people and say they will be rich or have a family, not pain and suffering. A laugh left his lips then, "So..she thinks I'm going to be some kind of man whore and robbing banks, an interesting concept." @kcte
"So you wanna start off smaller?" Bentley questions, scaling back, "how about... you'll find a lost twenty in your pants pocket and someone will hit you up on hinge?"
"Now you're thinking more logically." Nodding his head slowly at the thought. Reaching in his back pocket pulling out a ten dollar bill, "Well why don't you look at that. It's not a twenty but it's a ten."