basics

full name: benjamin gray isley

nicknames: benji, ben, benny, anything u wanna call him honestly

age: twenty two

date of birth: april 16th, 1998

height: 6′3″

gender: cis man

sexuality: bisexual

mother: delilah isley née cooper (41)

father: levi isley, deceased

siblings: madeleine isley (11), oliver isley (14), theodora isley (18)

background

benji’s parents were fresh out of high school when he was born, the pregnancy came as a shock to everyone but his parents handled it surprisingly well. while delilah studied for her nursing degree, levi got a job at her father’s auto repair shop. within a year, the family of three were living on their own (with a lot of support from their families, of course). and next thing they knew, the family of three had turned into a family of six. and while trying to keep up with the schedules of four different kids proved to be difficult at times, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

it was no secret to anyone that benji idolized his father - he was the one who introduced him to his love for music, who taught him how to play guitar, who encouraged him when he expressed an interest in music as a career. he could spend hours talking to his father about anything. so, when his father was killed by a drunk driver when he was seventeen, it hit him pretty hard. he managed to hold it together for a few hours after he found out but that night, after everyone else in the house had gone to sleep, he took off in his car. he just felt an overwhelming need to get away, from that house, from that town, from everything. he didn’t say a word to his mother before he left and didn’t answer any of her countless calls or texts during the time he was away. the error in this decision didn’t quite hit him until he returned home the next afternoon to his mother hugging him in tears (leading him to break down in tears himself, apologizing profusely). it’s not a memory he enjoys looking back on, it just reminds him of how much of a selfish asshole he was then.

benji had big plans for himself his senior year. he was going to move out to los angeles, start a band, and make it big! he was going to be a rockstar! he would show everyone that he could make it, he would make his parents proud someday. these dreams were quickly discarded after his father’s death, once he realized that his mother was suddenly left alone with three minors to care for. she never asked him to stay and in fact, tried to convince him not to when he told her his intentions to do so. nothing she said convinced him and so... he stayed. he got certified as a mechanic after graduation and went to work at his grandpa’s auto repair shop (the same one his father worked at before his death).

he still has a passion for music and an interest in maybe someday turning it into an actual career - he knows it’s a bit of a longshot though. he’s happy enough just playing for his friends and family now. is sort of thinking of starting a band here in oceanview but is not entirely sure yet....

headcanons

has a box full of woven friendship bracelets that his little sister has made for him over the years... is always wearing at least one. thinks they’re pretty cool. likes to give them out to his friends too and he will judge them if they don’t wear it. like, you think you’re too cool for a friendship bracelet? no you’re not put it on right now

tries his hardest to be the rational and responsible one in his friend group.... tries to talk his friends out of doing dumb shit but usually ends up doing it with them in the end.... he’ll say it’s just to make sure they don’t die but he actually enjoys it. 

very much the type to put other people’s needs before his own. he’s allergic to doing things for himself and needs to be pushed to actually do so. isn’t very open about his feelings :// tends to keep things bottled up. and it honestly has a lot to do with him being embarrassed about the way he acted when his dad died. 

honestly really likes cooking!!! is usually the one cooking dinner at home (especially if his mom is working a late shift at the hospital), has a list of recipes to try out, and usually tries something new at least once a week.

really likes puns.... dad joke extraordinaire. will laugh at his own jokes even if no one else thought it was funny.

loves to go stargazing, especially with other people. he likes to flex his knowledge lol. is definitely known as the ‘cool guy who knows a lot about stars’ among some of his siblings’s friends. 

wanted connections