"The will must be stronger than the skill." - Muhammad Ali
Tw: mentions of cancer diagnosis.
Despite his biological parents abandoning him when he was one years old, William never lived without love. Adopted soon after, William was raised by Percy and Simon York in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was definitely an untraditional upbringing and being raised by two father’s was only a small portion of that. The biggest portion was that Will’s fathers own a popular casino and resort in the heart of Vegas. Lesser known than the big names, Franny’s Resort & Casino (named after Percy’s mother) was a lively place to grow up and exposed Will to all sorts of folks, especially the ones who had extended stays. William’s childhood was filled with fun and probably too much attention from his Dads, both of them always worried about him not having a traditional childhood and the bullying he experienced from his peers around their presence in his life. But Will hardly let it phase him, always pretty aligned with his morals and also much more interested in the gossip and going ons of the casino than anything else. It was in running through the casino (with the watchful eyes of security guards and trusted companions) that Will found his one true love: money.
Will never really knew what it was to be without money but that didn’t decrease his obsession in the slightest. He loved the life his fathers had given him, but he was much more reserved than them, a bit more private with his emotions and aspirations. He was a quiet and quick study as a kid attached himself to the hips of many of the folks who worked the tables and slots and taught him the ins and outs of each game. Percy and Simon’s favorite party trick would be when a young Will would beat everyone at poker without even flinching. It made them proud of him instead of worrying about what it would lead to. They supported him in whatever he wanted to do and were grateful that their lifestyle hadn’t led him towards resentment but celebration.
But a bit after William’s 12th birthday, Simon was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In an effort to have a slower life, Percy and Simon moved the family to nearby Tonopah Valley and left the casino and resort in the care of their trusted staff. Percy would still travel back and forth but for the most part, the York family stepped into a slowed down version of life for William’s teen years. So, of course he was bored out of his mind. But it was also the first time in his life that he got to be exposed to so much land and nature. During Simon’s healing process, he would take long drives with his Dads, seeing the canyons, learning Native American history, finding an ease in life that the three York men had never really known.
When Will started high school, Simon was at his sickest and he struggled often to find the motivation to go to school when he was so worried about his Dad passing. But towards the end of his second year of high school, Simon went into remission and has been so ever since. But that didn’t stop Will from minorly acting out. Not that he was fighting anyone, but he was finding a way to make some money of his own by introducing his high school class to the great art of gambling. William was a High School Scammer and he was good at it. So good at it that he only ever got caught once and in true York fashion, his fathers had gotten him out of it. But it was basically his reputation in high school and if someone needed to make a quick buck, they knew who to go to. His parents used to joke that he was a young loan shark.
It was this affinity for money making and organization that led him to his love for the Sons of Silence. It all started when he met Syd. Syd was an old school butch lesbian who’s brothers, father, grandfather had all been a part of the Sons of Silence. She was Percy and Simon’s first friend in Tonopah and had been named as an honorary godmother of Will’s. Will never knew the extent of her involvement with the Sons but as far as he could tell she was just really good with fixing motorcycles and anyone who wanted a challenge when it came to drinking as much beer as possible, she would absolutely take the cake. But she was the closest thing to a mother figure that Will had and she was the first person who floated the idea of him becoming a prospect as he neared the age of 18. Percy and Simon weren’t so taken with the idea but it was also through Syd that Will learned that Franny’’s Casino and Resort had been doing work for the Sons for years. They had done it so well that even Will, who lived on site, had been completely oblivious to it. But it was what made him realize that maybe he had just naturally fallen into the family business.
So he made a deal with Simon and Percy and he did two years of community college to get his Associates degree in finance before he officially became a prospect at the age of 21 with one of Syd’s brothers as his sponsor. And William, who had become pretty okay with being an only child, realized for the first time in his life what he had been missing out on. Turning his love of money into a love of seeing the Sons thrive was easy to do, especially when it was something he didn’t have to hide from his family. If anything they encouraged him, and felt comfortable that in some way they could still look out for him and still maintain an honest and supportive relationship with their son. The first time his MC patch frayed, it was Simon that helped sew it back on and it’s not unusual for Will to bring folks from the MC over the house to hang, especially in the summer.
Will got his job at the Vineyard as a way to have some separation from his normal life. The kid who once couldn’t get enough of the flashy lights and fast pace, has grown into a man who deeply appreciates solitude and his time with the land. The Vineyard’s vastness allows him to stay busy all day until the MC needs him and even more he has access to the best wines before they even hit the shelves. He’s been a dedicated employee there since his late 20s and often comes home with a bottle for Simon and Percy to sample. Quite simply put: William loves his life and while his first love used to be money, his true love is his family. Simon and Percy but also the Sons of Silence and there is no doubt that he lives for them and would die for them without hesitation.
Will has had his sights set on being the SOS Treasurer since he was a prospect. It was the only job he ever wanted, knowing that he could double the MC’s profit if someone would just let him get his hands on the books. So when the current Treasurer was arrested, Will didn’t waste any time in putting his name in the ring to be next up. He takes pride in his work and takes even more pride in his brothers seeing the profit of their hard labor.
Headcanons:
William still lives with his fathers on their estate in Glenn Estates. He lives in a smaller house on a part of the property but from time to time will stay in the main house. He has dinner with them every Sunday and most mornings he has breakfast with them before going to work.
An only child, he can be pretty reserved but has always craved a larger community which is what led him to the Sons of Silence.
Is it a gambling problem if you’re never actually losing money?
One thing this man loves is family barbecues and during the summer he’s very big on inviting MC members and hangarounds to the York estate for big ol family barbecues.
Has no idea that his birth parents are very much alive and still live in Nevada though they’re no longer together. Doesn’t wonder about them too much.
