[yard hounds| character bios]
This is what happens when you mix a guilty pleasure love of visual novels/otomes and a love of your culture. I love VN’s and love-hate seeing archetypical “types” of the male romances, but sometimes I wish I there were more tropey ones I’d “get.” School settings and stories are a dime-a-dozen for otomes, even for Western VNs…so why noy have one set at HBCU (Historically Black University)?? Or, otomes with Black male romances in general.
“Yard Hounds” is a mini-writing project I’m doing that takes a humourous/insightful take on the types of dudes you’ll meet n’ greet with at an HBCU in the South+ the paperdoll types of guys you that are used in East Asian otomes. The MC starts as a Junior year transfer student for reasons unrevealed to the campus, hoping to finally get her degree and maybe a good strong man, too. If you’re familar with HBCU &/or (Southernish) Black culture, you’ll probably recognize a few of the themes, huhuhu. If get this thing written maybe I’ll make a real VN from it. Who knooows. anywho:
· Dezmond: The Campus King | What HBCU is complete without its Mr. & Mrs.?! Dezmond won the honoured title by a landslide and considering his jovial, yet business nature, no one’s surprised. He’s almost always seen in looking clean in a suit or his frat colours or both. Taking after his stepfather, he plans to enter into city council work after uni. Thus, on the yard he’s always chopping it up with random students or staff, and advocating for campus improvements. At night though, he’s the ringleader of his crew’s trio -with Montevious and Kjekke- stuntin’ and showing out at all the city’s club scenes.
· Montevious: The Woke Artist | The younger half of the “twins,” Montevious was raised separately with his birth mother on the West Coast until randomly deciding to attend uni with his brother in the East. Mystery seems to surround him, not one for socializing even though his emotive, yet odd large canvas works are highly praised. In the performance scenes, he goes by “Opiate, “and has a reputation for his deapan-staccato poetry reciting over custom, chill-hop beats. Generally Montevious is liked, but, from a far. It’s kinda hard to get a good read on him and his brain waves. Maybe it’s them blue eye contacts.
· Kjekke: The Athelete Star | This dude is a straight fool! And he knows it. And everyone loves it. How many people you know BS’d themselves an athletic scholarship by taking advantage of the stereotype “all Kenyans are superb distance runners.”? Now you know one, and funnily enough, he’s not that shabby. With his impressive appearance and accomplishments it’s not a surprise bruh always got dames on deck and homies to get hype with. But, between his silly attitude and close friends he somehow keeps a smal(ish) ego.
· Daphene’: The Drum Major | Affectionally Called “Jean Claude Van Dee” for his on-field dead drops and back bends, Dee is a beast of a performer and saxophone musician. His reserved persona left many surprised when he auditioned, but his dads, his adoptive parents, knew it’s been a persistent dream of his. When not with the band, Dee shys away from large gatherings, feeling the pressure to make conversation and their gaze…even if someone’s just admiring the view.
· Percey: The Barber Bruh | If you don’t know him, then you must be new ‘cause Percey’s name spreads far. Part of a big family, Percey is the only grandson of 12 girls, and the unofficial “chill big cousin” to them all. He enjoys the role, and it extends into his totally-legal-in-dorm side hustle cutting hair for good rates and for the hook-up after folks refund checks are dry. He could’ve been busted ages ago, but no one wants to snitch on their brother with the best line-ups, shape-ups, and campus tea. Not he’s one to gossip, just allows it to take place at his shop.
· Brannon: The Reformed Thug | If you’ve every been to an HBCU there’s always that one guy you see and think, “They go here? And why!?” That’s Brannon for ya. He can never win for losing, and is only attending now because of some benefits and reform program. One his proverbial, brother/best friend Percey found for him, and the only person gives his ear to. He’s not lazy, it’s just why get a degree when the real world and real coin can be made without it? He just has to figure out how. And yeah, yeah, he knows it’s harder when you have a record…. And that he’s” Dat One White Boy.”
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