Gender & Pronouns: Cis man, he/him
Date of Birth: September 28th, 1981 (39)
Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts
Neighborhood: Lafayette Square
Length of Residency: Since March 2021Â
Born to parents who had tried forever for a child, Alexander was a miracle kid. Only kid. A kid whose life was planned out for him. They wanted nothing less than absolute success for their only child, so as he grew, it was always the best schools, best tutors, best everything their money could buy. Academia was the main focus, but sports and even arts were also encouraged, but as a hobby. They wanted their son to be well-rounded, even if it it was merely for culture and conversation making. Alex didnât mind this arrangement, at least he got to try out a variety of things, but a hobby a week ended abruptly when the first argument broke out. Having lawyers as parents meant arguments but it was the escalation of voices that stopped Alex mid lesson. On one hand was his father with âhe needs to pick something and stick to itâ, and the other his mother with âheâs still a kidâ. In a household were decisions were based on the outcome of mock trials, Alex knew his fun ended when his father walked in. The matriarch conceded the point; still a kid was not a sufficient reason.
Not given a chance to protest, Alex just did what he had to do. What they told him to do. Honour roll, school paper, student council. He was the child they always dreamt of. Who was he to break that image they held for him? There were nights where he grappled with ideas and dreams of being something different, of being someone else â but come morning all that would be left was ink on his hands and a couple pages full of scribbled out stories. With a career path already picked out, what could Alex do if he lost every debate his parents had staged? Beating them at their own games seemed impossible until he convinced himself that Law was the right choice, falling right into their hands. Law only became bearable with Marion. Meeting her was not fate, with their parents running rival law firms, a friendship was strictly forbidden but strategically encouraged. Alex, however, didnât complicate their friendship with competition, she had a story similar to his; lawyer parents and impossible expectations, while his parents took a more deceptive route of coaxing her to side with them, Alex stuck a true friendship. They had plans to start a firm and surpass everything their parents expected until she left without a backwards glance and ruined his plans. Hurt at that sudden betrayal, spite carried him forward; at her, at his parents, at the world. With graduation behind him and a new job on the horizon, Alex settled into the next chapters of his life on the other side of the country.
LA was different than what he was used to, his parents feared it would change him, but Alex hunkered down and set about climbing the ranks, proving to his parents that they had nothing to worry about, Alex was still Alex, hardworking and devoid of all passion.
That is of course, until he met Cassius Davis.
Once the worker bee clocking in more than the expected hours, Alex went from building books to building friendships. A feat he thought was impossible. The day he met Cash was ordinary by all means, but the minute Alex laid eyes on them, he knew there was something there. A only child that lacked affection, Cash provided it in bundles. It was a whirlwind of a romance, and going from just friends to something more was easier than breathing, fate had its red thread wrapped around him and Alex was hooked on Cash while they were hooked on god knows what. Still, Alex chased that rush, that high for life feeling, finally there was passion in his life, so what if his hours at work feel short? He had more clients than most senior associates. So what if he lost a few cases? The golden glint from his finger brought about a smile no successful case could. So what if he was getting unfavourable looks due to his lifestyle? His thirties were what his twenties shouldâve been.
Voted most likely to succeed in life for his high school year book, Alexander finally, failed to meet an expectation. Up until that last pill, that last shot of alcohol, he was a success. A senior associate within five years, a junior partner within seven, well on his way to becoming a full partner when things came crashing down. It was silent as it was deafening. The higher ups, not wanting to damage the reputation of their firm, did not simply simple demote back to the starting ranks but fired him completely. Word even reached his parents who were nothing but scathing in their  disapprobation of their only son. Slowly, everything slipped through his fingers, career, family, even the supposed love of his life. Once the drug induced haze blew over, Alex was left with broken pieces and was a broken piece himself. Slipping off the ring from his finger one night, he set off without a goodbye, not to the city, not to his friends, not even to his husband.
The next few years went by aimlessly and without much fanfare. Alex jumped between cities, between jobs until eventually heading back to Boston where the only permanent job he could get (with terrible scrutiny), was working under his parents. He moved between people too, gazes lasting too long to be considered casual, coffee dates disguised as work meetings, but before things got serious, he was pulled aside for another wake up call. Being fired for the second time round, by his own parents this time was salt to the wound. There was no mock trail to decide his fate now; it was two against one and like forever, Alex was not given a chance to protest.
What he brushed aside a a fever dream, or at least he wanted to pretend was one, was in fact real. He was married, he was still married. That fact took him back to LA to find Cash, and soon to the resort beach town of Catalina. To confront his past or keep pretending, was the question now.
Positive: Romantic | Disciplined | Kind
Negative: Indecisive | Blunt | Sensitive
Alexander Barnes is portrayed by Pace.
